StarFox 5: Reflections of Fate
by Kit-Karamak
Summary: Fate takes place shortly before the onset of Star Fox Command for the DS. It bridges the timeline gap by showing Fox and Krystal's relationship up to the events when Fox forces her off the team, and she becomes a Cornerian pilot, moonlighting for Star Wolf, until her brief romance with Panther. ABRIDGED VERSION of the story, rated PG-16 for some language and romantic content.
1. The Great Fox Carrier

**Author's Note:** _Okay, so, I was asked to write this by a friend. He gave me guidelines for things he wanted to see happen in the story. For everything else, I was given leeway to tie the story up in a lead-in to the events of Star Fox Command.  
There will be some mature themes, but not until much later. The entire story is already done, so, there's that.  
Anyway, I got a little in-depth with Krazoa Lore, and I got a little dark in showing the kind of things taking place in Lylat after the Aparoid Assault.  
I also had to find ways to tie all this to the other Reflections Stories.  
That would make this story take place about a year after Book 4, Reflections of the Future, but it starts roughly one year before the Anglar Empire rises to power. It'll end the day of the initial invasion of Zazan's forces against Corneria._

_There was a request for a scene that I can't post on FanFiction dot net. That'd be Krystal's first time with Fox, and then Krystal's first time with Panther, in order to show a juxtaposition in her love life._

_So, I'll include these scenes, but not in full detail, so as not to break FFnet's terms of service.  
I mean, then again, this website launched the career of Snowqueens Icedragon on a story that was notorious for explicit sex, so … there's that.  
But, hey, I'm not Erika Leonard, and I'm not here to write erotica. I'm here to tell a fan fiction that's part of a decade-old space opera, which has a little bit of sex in it. It's hard to believe I started the first story FIFTEEN YEARS AGO.  
But, hey, here it is, 2020, and I haven't touched any of them since 2012. Eight years ago. Wild, huh?  
So, I was strapped for cash a few months ago, my buddy asked me to write this, and he gave me some cash under the table. Guess you could call this a commission, lol. But, really, it was more of a favor for a favor. I wrote the entire story all in one sitting.  
And, now? I'll go back to my original series that I'm preparing to publish. I need to re-read it and get it ready to go before a publishing house. And if they don't contract it? I'll self-publish starting in 2021.  
So, whatever. Anyhow, I still eventually plan to finish Book2, Book 5, and Book7.  
Although, I guess THIS will now technically become book 5, and everything after that number will get bumped up, lol._

_Still, I plan to finish Reflections of Star Fox, Reflections of Regret, and Reflections of Marcus.  
But, hey, THIS ONE is already finished. I'll just post new chapters a little at a time to spread things out, so that it brings in readership.  
Because, let's face it, all of those readers I used to have? They've long-since grown up and moved on from reading Fan Fiction about Star Fox, Sly Cooper, and whatever else. Ah well.  
Maybe I'll make some new fans, maybe this story won't get many reads at all. I just enjoy writing, so it's all good.  
This story will start off a little slow, but please give it a chance. It picks up. It just took me a few chapters to get back into the groove of writing Star Fox, y'know?  
It also gave me the chance to tie up some stuff leading to Reflections of a New Generation (which is one of my favorites to reread. I like the pacing). Like, why Bill Grey is only a Major at retirement, and why Krystal remembers working with Andross in Reflections of Marcus (the last book), in a tent on the Krazoa Palace, after she and Fox broke up the first time, but why she didn't remember those events until she was a grandmother. It was nice to tie up a lot of those moments.  
Okay, enough rambling. I'll keep the Author's Notes scarce going forward.  
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy 2020.  
Oh, and to those asking me to finish DÉTENTE? You know I will. Eventually.  
OH!  
And to those of you who find this story, that used to read my old work?  
Well…  
Hopefully my writing style improved since last you've read my work, eight years ago. Lmao_

_If you want to read the unabridged version of this story, it will be on KitKaramakDOTsofurryDOTcom. ChronoReaper, who commissioned this story, also did the artwork for it, which will be larger and easier to see on his SoFurry page. The mature content won't start until chapter 7, so feel free to read it here first. Ayyy. _

_-Kit Karamak_

* * *

Reflections of Fate  
by  
Kit Karamak

Chapter -1-  
_The Great Fox Carrier_

_Space Dynamics' canopy & dashboard factory  
Roughly one year BEFORE the events of Star Fox Command_…

**Krystal placed a paw firmly on Fox's shoulder** to comfort him.

They stood together in a massive warehouse. On the far walls, the 'Space Dynamics' logo dominated the bulkheads.

At the center of the warehouse, Fox and Krystal stood in front of the salvaged remains of the original Great Fox dreadnaught, which had been crashed into the core of the Aparoid homeworld.

The wreckage was somewhat difficult to discern.

A random piece of plumbing jutted up between bent rebar mesh. A piece of ablative armor with paint from the original logo. A large bent metal cylinder that was likely one of the main twin canons. There was a piece of deck plating with an arrow painted on it, likely from the hanger.

And, yet, there was _so much_ debris that held no shape or form, just twisted metal pieces, and pieces that resembled a crushed tin can on a macro scale.

Krystal's eye caught sight of a strange boxy-looking object covered in random detritus. "Fox…?" She pointed to it.

Fox's eyes widened. "Oh my _God_. Is that…?" He climbed up into the pile, pushing a few struts and beams aside. The pile shifted but Fox was careful to maintain his balance. He slid down a curved piece of bulkhead, and landed in his old captain's chair at the bottom of the ramp-like wall.

A waft of dust plumed out of the singed backrest.

Fox groaned, because there was no more cushioning in the seat.

Krystal cringed. "I sensed that pain right down between my thighs. Are you okay?"

"Yup," he grunted. After a moment to catch his breath, he lifted a paw and gave her the 'thumbs up' gesture. He climbed out of the chair and bent his knees, then leapt up onto the boxy object at the heart of the pile.

"Oi! Be careful, won't you?"

"I will!" Fox worked to pushed off charred metal bits, followed by a serrated piece of metal labeled as a junction crawlspace tube for '_trained maintenance personnel only_.' He had to be careful of the sharp edges where the metal was torn , creating sharp jagged edges in some sections.

"This thing hit the core of a hollow planet. You'd think it would have collapsed flat like a can of _Fizzy Pop_! I can't believe how much of this thing still looks like ship parts."

Krystal remained quiet, her eyes locked on the dark grey box in front of her fiancé.

Fox carefully cleared off the boxy object, uncovering the dented remains of Krystal's Cerinian shuttle. It still had damage on the top from the time it was used on Meteo.

Fox put his paws against a section of twisted deck plating with a corrugated staircase half-mounted to it. He put his back against the deck plate and heaved it away from her shuttle. The large chunk of metal crashed down atop other debris, resulting in a waft of silica and metallic dust.

Fox turned away, gasped in fresh air, and gestured for Krystal to cover her muzzle with her paws. He pulled a red piece of cloth up from his neck and did the same until after the dust settled.

The weighed metallic dust fell to the floor quickly, and the cloud dissipated after only a moment.

Fox looked around the large warehouse. "Okay, maybe you were right – I was too hasty in telling the staff I wanted time to go through the wreckage 'alone.' I should've asked for help, or at least a water hose so we wouldn't have to breathe in this crap."

Krystal feigned a slight grin, but refrained from saying that she told him so. Instead, she resorted to pleasantries. "Shall I fetch someone?"

Fox smirked. "In a moment. C'mere. Let me show you what it is that _you_ found."

Krystal nodded. She carefully climbed up onto the pile from the far left side, where a piece of GreatFox's lower left wing made an easily accessible ramp. She lowered to all fours, crawled across a pylon, and dropped down onto the deck plating, adjacent to where a twisted metal staircase was still partially attached.

"You good?"

"Good," she confirmed. She reached her paws up.

Fox took her by the forearms and lifted her up onto the old shuttle. "We salvaged the damaged remains of this from … Meteo I think?"

Krystal feigned a slight smile. "I remember. Slippy had been working on trying to restore it. Now, Space Dynamics will want to reverse engineer the design and metallurgy work. Just as well, at least Cerinian technology will live on to some degree."

"I can't believe this survived Great Fox's destruction."

"It was hooked up to the power grid in the hanger deck storage shed. As soon as the power cut, it would have caused the shuttle's computer to come out of standby. The 'aggro-sense' program would have activated the shields and supplied power from the ship's core to the armored hull. Plus, the hanger deck would have collapsed around it, protecting it like the shell of an egg, while the ship collapsed during the impact. Since Great Fox's initial impact was to the main bridge, the crash energy would have been lessened by the time it reached the hanger."

Fox offered her a wry grin. "And Falco says you're just a pretty girl who survives in a cockpit with your telepathy. I sure as hell didn't know how any of that stuff works – that was all you."

Krystal held up her paw and gestured to the engagement ring he'd given her some time ago. "Isn't that why you want to marry me? For my mind?"

Fox nodded emphatically. "Exactly! For your mind!"

Krystal mirrored Fox's grin from a moment ago. "I figured as much." She knelt down and reached along the backside of the shuttle. Her fingers met the access panel. It scanned her palm pad. A hydraulic hiss came from within, and the back hatch pushed itself open, forcing some of the debris away from the door panel.

"Well, that and because you laugh at my puns."

With a smile, Krystal turned about on all fours, slid her legs down, and dropped to the partially open hatch.

Unable to open all the way, it was about forty-five degrees, which made it act like a ramp to the deck at the heart of the partially-reconstructed shuttle. Once the computer recognized that there was too much in the way, it stopped opening the rear ramp panel and remained only partly open.

She put her paw on a bulkhead and sighed. "Slippy did _such_ a good job reassembling it. It would have been flight-ready in another year, if not sooner."

Fox hit the angled hatch with a grunt, slid down to the deck, and managed to stay on his feet. He ambled forward, careful not to stumble, and braced himself on the bulkhead next to Krystal, so that his arm was along her shoulders.

She looked back at him with a slight grin.

"Meant to do that, actually," said Fox with his own grin.

"You know … you can always put your arm around me."

"Like I said. I meant to do that."

She grinned again. "The core still has power. The sensor opened the hatch after all. Let's see if we can call someone in the front office and have them lift this out with a crane."

Fox nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a smart idea." A pause, then, "See? Like I said. I'm going to marry you for your mind."

She faced him with a wry smile tugging at the corners of her muzzle. She shook her head with a chuckle and patted his chest with her paw. "Oh. Well, I'm totally going to marry _you_for your _body_, Fox."

McCloud felt his face tighten. He swallowed back a brief bit of shyness at the way she flirted with him. He took a deep breath, to get at himself, and said, "Oh, well, good. I guess paying to have a gym installed in the replacement Great Fox was worth the cost."

She replied with a brilliant smile of amusement, winked at him in a playful manner, then sauntered to the front of the shuttle.

The windshield was cracked and scorched so badly that the warehouse lighting couldn't illuminate the controls through the glass.

Krystal removed her current-model Cornerian communicator. She activated a simple flashlight feature, part of the built-in camera's flash, and held it up in her left paw, while using her right paw to boot the computer.

Some of the small screens in the dash were too dark to read.

Fox stood behind her with a grimace. "Only heat could damage a monitor like that. But this shuttle was shielded. What caused it?"

"The shields were designed to de-energize the kinetic energy released by an exploding planet, which is why my parents made sure I received this model … they knew. Anyhow, the hull is mostly intact, thanks to Slippy's rebuilding of the shuttle, but … the shuttle's life support was offline, because it was in storage in the hanger. So, there was no air conditioning. It likely became _very hot_ in here while the Great Fox exploded at the core of the Aparoid home world."

"Makes sense," said Fox. "Can we use this thing to make a call, then?"

"Excuse me!" called a voice from behind the two.

Fox and Krystal whirled around. A man in a suit slid down into the back of the shuttle. He dropped to a crouch on the deck plate, adjusted the lay of his sport blazer, and stood up.

Fox blinked. "We were _just_ about to call you."

A collie, as well groomed as he was dressed, held his paws outward with a bright, toothy smile. He had splotches of brown and white on his fur, and his eyes were bright like gold. "Yes, well, we heard the sound of a large chunk of debris crashing over. We scanned to make sure the two of you were all right. We saw you'd climbed inside the shuttle, and my boss said it was time to talk to you about the remains."

Fox frowned. "Yeah…"

The man laughed softly and held his hands out. "Don't be so … lachrymose!"

Fox tilted his head a bit.

Krystal whispered to her beau. "It means '_sad_.'"

The man fixed the lay of his tie from the way he dropped down to the shuttle deck. He made a slow approach to the couple and said, "Don't get me wrong. I'm here to make you an offer, Mr. McCloud. First, let me introduce myself. I'm John Salt. For the last few years, I was General Pepper's direct liaison to Space Dynamics. We worked _really_ well together. So well, in fact, that people called us '_Salt and Pepper_.' But, please, call me John."

"You both have the same first name, huh?" Fox smirked. "That's kind of funny."

John crossed the shuttle to the front, with his paw thrust out in offering to Fox. "Isn't it, though? And, now, I'd like to think of myself as the official liaison for team Star Fox. If that would be all right with you, of course!"

Fox took the collie's paw and shook it.

John turned to Krystal and offered his paw to her for another handshake. "All right! Pleasantries aside, I would love to talk to you about this shuttle. It's nothing our engineers have seen before. It's nothing our mechanics or R&D people have ever seen. The molecular structure of the armored layer is technology that _no one_ in Lylat has seen before." He kept his hand extended, waiting for her to receive it.

Krystal grinned a bit. "Mm-hmm." She took his paw and shook it firmly.

John continued, "When we first brought this shuttle in, we cut out a small piece from the port, and we analyzed it. We thought it was _really_ fascinating." He met her firm handshake, impressed by the young woman's grip.

Krystal held the man's paw for a moment, tilted her head a bit, and finally released it. "You've _already_ reverse-engineered it?"

John opened his muzzle, paused, then frowned. "Please don't tell me this technology is patented. We tried to research it with the patent clerks, but we couldn't find anything like it."

Krystal replied with a smirk. Her ears laid back, briefly, with a soft sigh, followed by a headshake. "It's not patented in _Lylat_."

John chuckled nervously and clapped his paws together. "Well, um, I'm not sure what that means, but at least…"

She interrupted him, adding, "It was Cerinian technology. May I be blunt with you, sir?"

"I, uh, of course!"

She held her paws forward, showing him the fur a bit closer. "My pelt isn't dyed. I'm from a planet that is no longer habitable. This shuttle is all that remains, that I am aware of. Feel free to study it as you see fit."

"We … already have," said John in a tone of reverence. "Quite extensively. We found traces of Cornerian technology used in reconstructing this shuttle. Whoever put it back together … we'd love to offer them a job."

Fox shook his head. "Slippy Toad isn't looking for a job until he retires from the team."

John chuckled inwardly. "Well, yes, but engineers don't do their job for money – they do it for the chance to invent something amazing, and they…"

"Right now, we are living off the money we made when we stopped an invasion from an alien race. You might have heard of them … the Aparoids. Of course, they're not around anymore, because this little mercenary team was responsible for genocide of their race in order to protect Lylat from the genocide of _our_ race."

John face faulted. He offered Fox a blank expression, unsure as how to broach such a sensitive polarizing issue, which, for a while, had been an intensely hot-button topic in the media of Corneria and neighboring worlds. "Um … so, about Mr. Toad. He's the son of Beltino Toad, right?"

Fox chuckled and gave John's shoulder a firm 'macho' pat. "You go ahead and ask Slippy, some time, and see what he says. Maybe, one day, he'll join your Research and Development team. But I doubt he'll leave this team anytime soon."

"I'll have my people reach out to him," said John. "But back to the topic at hand … when we started studying this shuttle, along with all the wreckage of your old ship, last year … well, we knew we could learn from all this stuff, and we wanted your permission to do some PR work."

Fox stole a glance at Krystal, followed by arching his brows at John Salt. "Not sure I follow."

"Well, let me start by saying that the Great Fox was a _very_ old dreadnaught."

Fox chuckled. "Your company said it was just slightly used … a Lylat War dreadnaught that had been altered to have a 'familiar' raised bridge design like our old one."

"Mr. McCloud, I'm not talking about the used one that you bought last year. Let me come back to this topic, and just ask you, real quick, are you happy with the used ship you bought from us?"

"It will serve its purpose. It's got a few neat features that my father's ship didn't have, but it's not designed to take the same amount of punishment as my father's ship."

"Yes, that was … they don't build'em like they used to, that's for sure, Mr. McCloud."

"Yeah … a shame, really."

"Metal costs skyrocketed during the Lylat War, for one." Salt gestured back to the wreckage just outside of the shuttle's rear hatch ramp. "Your father bought this model back when we were just Arspace Dynamics, the maker of the M-Class Cornerian Standard Fighter. After we became Space Dynamics, and after we restructured the company, we became known for the Arwing. And, Mr. McCloud, our company's success story is _your_ story."

"Yeah, how do you figure?"

John held his arms outward. "Son, when your father's team took the first-generation prototype Arwing to Venom, and never came back, our stocks plummeted. Our company was on the verge of collapse. That's the reason why Arspace Dynamics had to change its name to _Space Dynamics_ … we suffered right along with you, at the loss of your father. It wasn't personal, like your loss was, but it nearly closed our doors…"

Fox's ears laid back and he opened his mouth to argue…

Krystal reached over and grasped Fox's forearm. "He's not wrong, love. Think about it. A company of people with livelihoods. Pigma's betrayal of your father nearly ruined _so_ many lives. They didn't mourn your father's death – he would never suggest that. He merely meant that Pigma's actions hurt _many people_."

John nodded in agreement to Krystal's explanation. "Pigma Dengar's betrayal of your father brought about the closing of our doors as Arspace Dynamics. Hardworking breadwinners' families went hungry because of the layoffs."

Fox shook his head. "Well, if it makes you feel better, I'm pretty sure Pigma is dead, now. The Aparoids got him. Whatever was left of him, well, let's just say I put him out of his misery."

"Music to my ears, for sure. Mr. McCloud, when your team successfully won in a campaign against Venom in the Lylat Wars, our company became the massive corporate entity it is, today. All because of you. But we're known for building fighter ships, drones, recon gear … we're _not_ known for our larger ships. And our competitor supplies Corneria, Papetoon, and Katina with its capital ships."

"What's your point," asked Fox.

"The Great Fox dreadnaught, a single ship, destroyed a _planet_, and its pilot _survived_. This is after a refit, because we're talking about a war ship that was used in the Lylat Wars, and it was used for _years_ with virtually _zero_ maintenance, until the armor refitting and the bridge refit, just before the Aparoid invasion. There it is – that is proof that we built quality ships that would last for decades."

Fox's ears perked back up. He arched his brows and eyed the collie. "So … what? You want us to endorse your ships by buying another, so you guys can use that endorsement to get contracts for building more Cap Ships? We bought a used one. It wasn't built with the 'personal touch' like my father's dreadnaught … probably made on a fast-track assembly line for the war, but it's still a solid little dreadnaught for all intents and purposes."

John held his paws outward again. "The original CEO of Arspace Dynamics came back to us after the Lylat War, because we didn't know how to survive without a war to fund us."

Fox crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah, I know Yaru de Pon. I'm on a first-name basis with him. He was the CEO of Arspace Dynamics, and he's currently the President of Space Dynamics. Richest mechanic in Lylat. Good guy, decent trainer ... bit of a schemer. And?"

"And … we put the personal touch back into our machines, Mr. McCloud."

Krystal eyed the collie for a moment. "Mr. Salt, just tell him – be blunt with your big reveal."

"I…" He cleared his throat, eyed her in return, then opened his arms again. "The truth is, Mr. McCloud, we built another Great Fox using the reverse engineered tech from _this_ shuttle. And it's like _nothing_ we have _ever built before_."

Krystal feigned a very slight smile. "We'll talk about my one percent stake in your company, since I am the sole surviving member, that I know of, who would own the patents on the technology."

John Salt's jaw dropped a bit.

Krystal chuckled. "I am kidding. I would never ask more than a quarter of one percent." She cut her grin at Fox, adding, "_Plus_ free ordinance for life."

Fox snickered in amusement. He cleared his throat and met the collie's gaze. "Mr. Salt, I'm sorry, we make jokes at the expense of others because it's who we've become … a coping mechanism to handle the wars we've survived. Please, sir, continue with your sale speech."

There was a brief silence.

John swallowed with a nod. "All right, well, we call our new ship the _Great Fox Carrier_. It's almost like an interstellar _mansion_ that would put a Phoenix Industries yacht to shame, and it operates at a _fraction_ of the operational costs of anything else in its class. In fact, the operational costs will be _less_ than a ship half the size of your old dreadnaught."

Fox's eyes widened. "You made a new Great Fox, bigger than before, with better armor, that costs less to operate than my old ship?"

"With new technology that will allow it to survive possibly _three times_ the punishment, with the maintenance record that your old ship was known for."

Krystal tilted her head and studied the collie's face. "How did you manage that?"

"The technology from the shuttle … your shuttle. It's far stronger, it flexes on a molecular level, so to speak, to absorb the stress of maneuvering in atmosphere, in water, and against attacks. Also, it's lighter, so the engines don't have to work as hard. Then, when we learned that we could make the engines with the new metallurgy techniques, we discovered we could make engines that can be stressed and not breakdown. Less fuel cells are consumed. Overall, this ship that we made for Star Fox … it will save your team approximatley ten thousand credits _per month_ in operation costs. Roughly."

Fox looked at Krystal, eyes still wide, and said, "They made us a _ship_ out of Cerinian tech!"

Krystal bit back a tearful smile. "That is … a worthy legacy for Cerinian technology. Thank you, Mr. Salt."

"Please, the two of you, call me John. Pepper did. And, Mr. McCloud…" John trailed off and licked his lips.

Krystal cut her gaze to John.

John cleared his throat, then said, "I … knew your father."

"Wait, what?" Fox stared at the man with a look of disbelief.

"My uncle is the one that sold James the original Great Fox dreadnaught. I, um, discovered that while we were researching the wreckage from the vin number. I had no idea until recently."

Fox blinked. "Seriously? That's…"

"Yeah, I know, right? Small galaxy." John chuckled a bit. "I was an impressionable fifteen-year-old when your team won the Lylat Wars for Corneria. I was _un_officially interning for Arspace Dynamics, bringing coffee to Mr. de Pon, my uncle, and others, when I was just nine years old. I offered all our clients coffee or tea, or any other refreshments. Your father said he had a son a little older than myself. I believe he took his coffee 'black with sugar.' I could be wrong – it was a _long_ time ago."

"Yeah, black with sugar. So, wait, you're three years younger than me? Yet … you're some 'higher-up' at a company like Space Dynamics?"

"Yes, sir. And I owe my success to _your_ success. Like I said, our legacies are tied together."

"And, you really built us a ship? How much?"

John lifted his paws with a shake of his head. "You saved the system. Again. The ship is _free_; a tax write-off for us. We'll do it in 'trade' for the one that you bought last year, so you won't have to worry about making payments anymore."

Fox gaped in shock.

"And no '_scheming_' on Yaru de Pon's part." John chuckled at his own joke.

Fox was still speechless.

John added, "We asked you to come here and look through the wreckage so we could officially give you the carrier. I know you probably thought I was a salesman, here to make a pitch, but, well, no. I'm here to take you over to where the carrier is docked and give you a tour."

Fox lit up. He reached for Krystal's hand, beaming. "When?"

"Now … if you'd like."

Krystal sensed Fox's emotions and whispered to him. "You look like a boy in a candy store with a fistful of Holiday money from his grandparents. Go on."

Fox laughed at her analogy. "I feel like one," he said at normal volume.

John cut his gaze to Krystal. "Ma'am, it's equipped with the latest and most modern luxury amenities. I understand that most mercenary teams are a bunch of bachelors, but we wanted to treat Star Fox differently. Not just because there's a woman on the team, but because Star Fox saved Lylat with _our_ company's fighters. _Twice_. We're hoping your team will do the same in one of our mini-carriers, if something ever threatens Lylat again in the future."

Krystal replied with a wry smile. "You want our team to endorse your company by putting bumper stickers on our sedans?"

"Well, we want you to use our newest ship just to show the high-ranking officers of the military that a state room can be more than a cot or a box spring and cheap mattress, with a dumbbell set in the corner. We're also competing with Phoenix Enterprises for luxury. So, we spared no expense on the _new_ Great Fox, if, of course, you want to keep that name. This ship will be a gamechanger and we want your team to show Lylat that it makes you happy."

Krystal shrugged. "All right." She turned to Fox and said, "You should go with him, hon."

"Miss, you're a member of the team. We're extending you the same courtesies. We'd also like to _personalize_ your Arwings for each pilot."

Krystal shrugged. "I like the Arwing, but it's not something that can be personalized very much, beyond colors. I wish there was a way to combine the utility and versatility of my shuttle with the power and security of the Arwing."

John replied with a sly smile. "Do you have any ideas?"

"For?"

"A body-style? A name?"

"You mean, like, if I wanted to make my own ship and call it the Cloudrunner?"

"_Exactly_ like that."

"Wait, you mean … I _can_ make a fighter that has the utility of a small shuttle?"

"That is exactly what I mean." John smiled brightly, never prouder of his company than right now. "You want it shaped like one of those flying creatures on Sauria? The Cloud Runners? We can do that. The technology behind the Arwing is now understood well enough to allow us to build a compact shuttle that operates the same way. A _Sport Utility Shuttle_ fighter. Let us prove it to you."

As an afterthought, John said, "We made Acting General Hare the same offer, because he was part of the team at the time of the Aparoid Assault. He wanted an older-model style Arwing but with all the new amenities. He already knows about the Great Fox Carrier, because we had to pull some strings with the Prime Minister of Corneria. I mean, we're giving a warship to citizens, after all. But, yes, every member of Star Fox during the Aparoid Assault, whether retired or not, will be given a personalized ship _free of charge_."

Krystal grinned. "We'll be in touch on that, for sure. For now, let's see this new Great Fox carrier. It seems you're excited about it, and Fox seems to be, as well."

Fox nodded emphatically. "I look forward to seeing this thing. Let's see if we can get it to interface with Rob64, while we're at it."

John Salt waved his paws, gesturing for both foxes to come closer. "Let me show you something we've been working on."

Fox and Krystal moved a bit closer.

"Don't be shy. I don't have fleas."

Fox and Krystal exchanged glances and took a step closer.

John reached out and took Fox and Krystal's forearms. He leaned his head down and touched his nose to a device on his wrist, beneath the sleeve of his sport jacket.

And without warning, the setting of the shuttle changed to a hanger bay, brightly colored with silver, white, and orange trim.

Fox blinked. "Did we just … teleport? Like when Great F—when our old ship would use the transmission system to send down a Landmaster for me to use?"

"Andross invented the Dimension Transport System using ancient technology he found on Venom from some forgotten culture. They were made in a factory on Macbeth, and that's the basis of the transmission system we installed during the refit of your old dreadnaught, and that's how you were able to send a tank to your location in the field at will…"

Fox smirked. "The Transmission System's targeting system left a bit to be desired."

"Yes, there were … times … when it would place objects a bit further from the intended subject than desirable, but the technology is constantly being upgraded and updated. And, on that note, we can now teleport biological matter, intact, without injury, and without being inside of an Arwing."

Fox rubbed his forehead. "How am I only _just_ hearing about this?"

John shrugged. "Not sure. Heh. I mean … your teammate's father, Beltino, was part of the project that invented these for the use of mass population evacuation to the tunnels beneath Corneria's capital city in case of bombardment. It saved a _lot_ of people from being turned into Aparoids…"

"So that's how Corneria's streets were so empty so quickly last year…"

"And now that we know they work on people, we bought the rights to make newer, faster, _smaller_ devices, which are being implemented all around the city. They will send citizens through the large emitters in the evacuation tunnels beneath the Cap City. The project started a few months ago, but … Space Dynamics has installed one in your new carrier."

Fox looked around the hanger in wonder. "You made a ship that can teleport a person, and you shrank it down to the size of the thing on your wrist?"

John chuckled. "No, no. It's not _that_ small. But, instead of flying an Arwing through one, now you can fit it inside of a hanger. The other emitter was installed in my briefcase, which is back on the shuttle. My device simply activated it. Presentation is everything, after all."

"Oh." Fox looked down at the deck plates. "Well, where is the emitter, here?"

John pointed to the ceiling, where a large circular device was built flush in the bulkhead above. "It's not in the floor, because if someone were to crash land on the flight deck, the device would be damaged and useless. But think of the applications – if your fighter was about to explode, you could teleport yourself to the carrier ship, board a new fighter, and launch without losing time … or losing a battle."

Fox lit up. "Now _that_ is handy!"

Krystal looked up at the blue disc in the ceiling, above. "Pretty shade. Does it always glow like that?"

"It adds to the ambiance of the hanger deck lighting," said John. "It also kills viruses and most bacteria outside the body, so the hanger becomes one of the cleanest places to enter and exit from the ship."

Krystal smiled a bit. "That's fascinating."

Salt nodded. "Let's give you both a tour of your new home, shall we?"

The ship shook violently.

Fox put his paws outwards to keep himself balanced.

Krystal went to all fours, as did John.

Fox took Krystal beneath the elbow and helped her to her feet. "What was _that_?"

John grimaced. "That … was _not_ part of the presentation." He pushed his jacket sleeve up his forearm and interfaced with the device on his wrist. His eyes widened.

Krystal cut her gaze to Salt. "Wait, what?"

"The entire facility is under attack!? Who would attack a research and development lab, let alone a plant that makes cockpits and dashboards?"

Fox brought his paw to his forehead. "And that's _all_ you guys make here? That's it?"

"That's _literally_ it. We wanted to have you meet us in a facility that doesn't get a lot of attention, so that the press wouldn't get wind of your visit. We use that warehouse you saw, earlier, for studying wreckage, salvage, or … spreading out parts in a prototype crash, so we can identify all the parts by … by spreading them out."

Krystal put a paw on John's shoulder. "Take a deep breath. We need to get to the bridge and get this ship off the ground."

"That's … not going to be a problem. Part of the presentation was to use a massive Transmission System to put the ship into orbit, and then launch it from there without the media getting involved."

"Do you have something against the media, suddenly?" Fox asked incredulously. "Take us to the bridge. Quickly. And, yeah, let's get this thing into space."

John hurried across the flight deck with them. "No, Mr. McCloud, it is our understanding that _you_ have something against the media. Space Dynamics would _love_ media attention, but we understand that you, as the leader of your team, have never been cozy with the media, or the way they sometimes present your tactics during interviews." He took the lead in running through the ship. "This way!"

Fox followed Salt with Krystal behind. "Well, yeah, that's true. So, you guys were willing to forego a media press release for the sake of my weirdness about being on camera?"

John stepped onto a lift, waited until the two foxes were aboard, and he slapped his palm against the 'operations' button on the control panel.

The lift began to rise up from the deck.

"Well, err, yes." John feigned a weak smile. "We respect our clients' needs and wishes. We want to make them comfortable."

The ship shook again.

Krystal stumbled and felt something solid against the side of the lift. She pressed her paw against an unseen field. "Wait … you made this lift so that you cannot fall off of it?"

"Safety first," said Salt with a sheepish grin. "The energy field acts like walls for the elevator. You've heard of solid light, right? We used a light spectrum that your eyes cannot see, so we see right through it."

The lift disappeared into a shaft, which was polished smooth and well lit. The platform stopped on the command deck.

The hallway was short and led straight to the bridge entrance.

John gestured around himself. "We knew that being a mercenary squadron meant needing immediate access from the bridge to the hanger deck, so we made the two as accessible to one another as possible. No more running a long way to your fighters."

Fox gave John's shoulder a firm pat. "Enough with the sales speech and tour. We'll do a ribbon cutting ceremony for you, press and all, because you've earned it. Just help us get Rob 64 to interface with the bridge from where he's at on Corneria. Then he can keep the ship moving while Krystal and I figure out who we're up against."

"Perhaps we should pick up your crew, Mr. McCloud. Corneria isn't terribly far." John walked to the helm control panel and accessed the viewscreen. It showed the inside of an enormous warehouse. John pressed his thumb into the screen of his watch.

All at once, the viewscreen displayed space … and an advancing _fleet_ of fighters in the distance.

Fox's back straightened. "Those are Venom fighters."

Krystal moved around John. "Impressive you could Instant Transmission an entire carrier."

"Yeah, it was part of the demonstration," he said, sounding a bit dismayed.

Krystal approached the helm controls and sat down at a piloting chair. She put her paws on the flat touchscreen controls with a smile.

John, standing beside her, pointed out the basics. "Take us out. I hope you're as good at piloting big ships as you are with small ones."

Krystal smirked. "It was quite a learning curve. But I can evade any enemy that has a brain. Aparoids were a different story, because their thinking patterns made me more of an empath than a telepath with them."

"Wait, you're … telepathic?" A pause, then, "Seriously?"

"Seriously. And your secrets are none of my business." She gave the Great Fox Carrier some throttle and it responded by smoothly moving forward.

"Give it some power," John encouraged. "Go ahead. Test the inertial dampeners and punch it."

Krystal shrugged. "You asked for it." She pushed the throttle bar up to full.

The carrier ship lurched forward, approaching the Venom forces at a high rate of speed, but, on the bridge, no one felt anything.

Fox settled in a chair at the center of the bridge. "Can we open a line to the guys on Corneria?"

John touched a panel on the helm controls and glanced back at Fox. "Check your personal communicator and press '_accept_.'"

Fox withdrew his communicator and looked at the screen. It had a message flashing, which read, 'Pair your contacts to _Great Fox Command_?' He pressed 'YES,' and cleared his throat. "Okay, how about now? Put whoever you can get up on the viewscreen."

John touched the control screens on the helm panel and dialed Falco, Slippy, Peppy, and General Pepper up onto the viewscreen. Their faces lined the top, above the image of the incoming Venom forces.

After a moment, live feed of each populated the communications bar above the viewer.

Fox stood up in front of the command chair. "Hey, everybody! Andrew Oikonny is up to old tricks. I'm sending you coordinates of their location." As an afterthought, Fox asked, "How's your health, General?"

"It's just … John, now, Fox." As a pause of his own, Pepper said, "Is that John Salt with you? I'm using a wristwatch communicator, so the image is quite small."

"It's me, John," said Salt.

Pepper smiled a bit. "I, uh, retired, Fox. But I still have all my contacts in central command, and I'll forward you to the Prime Minister, because we don't have an official Fleet General to replace me. I, uh, haven't made my retirement official to the press, yet. And we're not at war, so we probably don't need a _five star_ General anytime soon."

"Noted. Well, you're still General Pepper as far as I'm concerned. I'll handle Andrew's crap, I just wanted to let you know."

"Thanks for keeping me in the loop, but I'm on pain killers and I can't do much of anything but forward you to the Prime Minister."

Peppy Hare cleared his throat and said, "John, we should talk some time."

The hound smiled at the rabbit's words. He swiped on his wrist-comm, bringing Peppy's image to full size. "Hey, Hare. Talk, huh? To catch up?"

"No, about your situation. I might have a solution we can discuss at a later time."

Falco scoffed. "Good Goddess, John, Peppy is already acting General already. Just make him permanent. He's the reason Star Fox always wins – he is a tactician. He reads fleets as well as he reads maps, and that's saying something because the guy is a cartographer."

"You're in this conversation, too, Lombardi? Sorry, not a lot of screen real estate on a watch communicator, but I'm a bit too weak for the added weight of a holo-comm gauntlet."

"Yeah, yeah," Falco said in a snarky tone. "We know you're made of tougher stuff than that, old man. Now, let's get down to business for Goddess' sake."

Fox laughed. "Falco, the only time you're 'down to business' is when it involves cashing your paycheck."

"Look, Fox, all I'm saying is that we got robbed of a chance to shut down Andrew for good, back when the Aparoids invaded. Now we'll get our chance!"

Pepper said, "Look, boys, Peppy was the acting General for a short time. He's not officially acting anymore. As of a few days ago. But it's just a matter of paperwork. And, Peppy, if you want to talk about it, I'm willing to make it a thing. But, you can't make your flagship on the Great Fox. They're mercenaries."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," said Hare. "Lookin' good, Fox. You look happy, despite this nonsense with Andrew coming back."

"Yeah," Fox said with a chuckle. "Happy as hell, today. And yeah, I look good. At least compared to Pepper."

Pepper smirked in reply. He wasn't wearing his staple aviator glasses or uniform hat, but even with all the extra skin on his cheeks, the old hound's smirk was still slightly noticeable. "Uh-huh."

Slippy chimed in. "What do you need from us, and … wait, where _are you_, Fox?"

"It's a surprise," said Fox with a grin. "For you guys, _and_ for Oikonny, shortly." Fox lowered his tone and said, "Salt, can you bring Oikonny into the conversation?"

"Um … let me see if I can single out his frequency from his fleet." John tapped the controls briefly. He manipulated something on a touch screen control panel, then looked up at the screen expectantly.

Andrew Oikonny's face showed up on the viewscreen. "Who dares to interrupt me while I'm…" Andrew trailed off with a gasp. "I'm in a _conference call_ with _every member_ of _Star Fox_?!" A pause, then, "And … General Pepper? I barely recognize you without your uniform and aviator shades, old man. How are you even still alive? At the very least, shouldn't you have a grey muzzle by now?"

Fox approached the viewscreen. "Andrew, what the hell are you doing, attacking a cockpit factory? All they make are glass canopies and screens for dash consoles. Did you run out of beach sand on Titania? You can make your own glass; you don't have to steal someone else's glass."

"What?! What are you talking about, McCloud?"

"Good Goddess, Oikonny, it's not that difficult. I'm speaking Standard Lylat Cornerian. Why are you attacking the Space Dynamics glass factory?"

"I have superior intel that says Space Dynamics has created a weapon capable of destroying Venom's forces once and for all. They're hiding it here!"

John Salt turned away from the viewscreen and laughed.

Fox furrowed his brows in confusion. "What's he talking about, Salt?"

"You!" John said in amusement. "Our project name for the Great Fox Carrier is Code Named _Bane of Venom_. Whatever that clown got for his intel, he doesn't realize it's just a project name for building your new ship."

Fox smirked and gazed at the viewscreen again. "You hear that, Oikonny? We saved Lylat, including Venom, from the Aparoids. Space Dynamics built us a ship to replace the one we used to destroy their home world. So, call off whatever … this is. If you turn around and leave, we'll let you scurry back to that dead rock your uncle called a home."

"No! _I_ assembled this fleet, _I_ am prepared for a fight, and _I_ want a rematch!" Andrew exclaimed. "And I want it right _now_. Venom's shipyards have been busy! You have _one ship_. I have _fifty_ carriers!"

Krystal looked up at John Salt with a shrug. "You want to see how your product stands up under fire?"

John exhaled. "I'm not worried. This ship is _state of the art_. This new armored plating makes it the safest place to be, ma'am. Furthermore, your team's track record speaks for itself."

Krystal frowned. "So, what's bothering you?"

Salt shrugged. He spoke in a soft tone to Krystal. "What worries _me_ is being involved in military operations against a madman, and your crew not being familiar with this ship's systems, yet."

Andrew laughed. "You really shouldn't have said that while I'm still on the line."

Salt looked up at the viewscreen. "Good to know the condenser microphones pick up everything, evenly, all around the bridge. But, I'm not worried about you winning. I'm just worried that Star Fox will take longer to defeat you with new equipment than with their old equipment, due to not having had a chance to field-test it, first. We have investors and stockholders who will want to hear that Fox beat you twice as fast with the new equipment, you know?"

Andrew laughed boisterously. "You have not yet seen _my_ fleet's newest ships! The stealth fighter prototypes that gave Corneria's military so much trouble, back when my base was on Fortuna, is now twice as large as before! And we have stealth bombers as well! I look forward to disappointing your shareholders!"

Fox scoffed. "Andrew, I could glue the old Great Fox's wreckage together, down on that moon, and kick your tail with it."

"I'm not afraid of you, McCloud!"

Fox shook his head with a sigh. "No? You sure? I mean, you felt threatened enough to come out here and attack a business-owned moon, knowing they are under the protection of Corneria's military. You could have sued for peace and involved the Cornerian Prime Minister, and you could have asked for an investigation into a '_weapon capable of destroying Venom_.' Instead, you assemble a frickin' _battle fleet_ and you attack a moon!"

"Damn right I'm attacking! I'll show you how I treat people who disrespect me!"

Fox groaned softly, shook his head again, and buried his face into his paw. "That's why nobody respects you, Andrew. You can't act like a real leader." He looked back up with a sigh. "Seriously, Oikonny. I'm not even kidding right now. You're a horrible leader. You only know how to pull a trigger and shout a lot."

"What?! I'll show you what it looks like when I pull a trigger, McCloud!"

Fox rolled his eyes. "Hopefully another alien species doesn't flick your ship out of the sky, again. I wouldn't want anyone to get in the way of me kicking your butt _yet again_. Tell you what, though. I was in the middle of getting a tour of my new ship. So, if you go back to Venom, I won't finish the job I started on Fortuna."

"I'll take my chances. You don't know the systems of your new ship. If you were getting a tour, you probably don't even have fighters! And your crew is on a conference call from _Corneria_. Let's see what your new toy can do, and I'll show you what _my new toys_ can do!" Andrew ended the call. His image disappeared from the viewscreen.

Salt frowned. "Sorry, I didn't mean to…"

Fox chuckled. "Do you really believe in this ship?"

"Well, yeah. I'm safer on this ship than the factory, down on the surface."

Fox nodded with a smile. "You'll be the first Space Dynamics liaison to go into battle alongside his clients. Now you'll _really_ be able to tell your clients that your company makes the best warships. Why don't you make a video of us kicking Oikonny's butt all the way back to Venom?"

Falco groaned over the open line. "Jeeze, Fox, you better save some of that ape-ass for _me_."

Slippy scoffed. "That didn't sound right, Falco. Like, seriously. You're making an ass out of yourself during an historic moment." The frog cleared his throat and added, "I just finished installing a firmware update on ROB64. Just send me coordinates. But, Fox, I don't have a fighter, just a shuttle."

"Just get here," said Fox. He cut his gaze to Peppy. "You want in on this?"

"I…"

Pepper chimed back in. "Peppy will be on Corneria, coordinating, here, from the CIC, Fox."

Fox grinned. "Well, all right."

John Pepper said, "Peppy, I'm going to call you. Let's head to the Combat Information Center. Fox, good luck."

Peppy nodded firmly. "CIC, got it. See you there, General. I need to grab something to wear."

"Grab a t-shirt and pants, Hare. I'll have my tailor bring you something at the CIC if you want to … feel official."

"See you there, General!" Peppy saluted with his free paw.

Both Pepper and Peppy's images disappeared from the screen.

Falco furrowed his brows. "Did I miss something, here?"

Fox tilted his head. He glanced at the Venom military in the distance. Numbers appeared on the screen adjacent to the small fleet, which depicted their distance from the carrier ship.

"Hello?" Falco said. He reached to something adjacent to the camera, and tapped a feathered finger, making it difficult to see his face in the feed, momentarily. "This thing on?"

Fox's gaze lifted to Falco's image. He feigned a weak smile and said, "What, that they called the command center by its old war name? It's just an old habit for old timers, Falco. Y'know, a mistake due to age."

Falco groaned. "No, Fox. I know what the 'CIC' is, and the military doesn't call its operations center that anymore. I'm not a goddamn idiot. I was talking about why Pepper suddenly invited over Hare for a dinner discussion over the Lylat Holo-chessboard, or some such."

Fox smirked. "Maybe they're going to take your suggestion."

Krystal feigned a soft smile. "It wouldn't surprise me. Peppy and Pepper were roommates in the academy, and they worked on tactics together, discretely. Peppy was afraid of the idea of command when he was young, so he helped Pepper get there. But, now, in his older age, Peppy enjoys being able to…"

Falco chimed in. "…To tell people what to do, so, yeah. He'll make a great General. Obviously. Look, none of us have fighters right now, Fox."

John Salt cleared his throat. "Mr. Lombardi, hi, John Salt – Space Dynamics liaison. I'm going to send your communicator a set of coordinates. If you can catch a ride on the shuttle with Mr. Toad, and come to this location, we'll take care of everything for you. Just hurry. Andrew Oikonny's forces are closing in on the plant."

Falco nodded. "Space Dynamics Factory on the double, got it. A'ite, I'm on my way. Yo, Froggie, you know where I'm at. Pick me up. See you in five minutes, yeah?"

"All right, all right, Falco. I'm on my way. Oh, and Fox, I look forward to seeing what this surprise is!" Slippy's image disappeared from the view screen.

Falco scoffed. The last one on the screen, he looked around at the surroundings behind Fox and Krystal. "So, you replaced Great Fox, huh?"

Fox smirked. "Hawk eye."

"Yeah, yeah. You literally talked about it to Andrew. I might have a short attention span, but I caught that much. Anyway, how much did the new ship set us back?"

Fox put his fists on his hips. "So much that you'll be working doubles, back-to-back-to-back patrols, just to help me pay it off."

"About _time_ you got us back in the air, McCloud. I hope the new Arwings have cupholders. I'mma grab my jacket and slick back my head-feathers. See you soon, Foxie." Falco slid sunshades up his beak, covering his eyes, and ended the call from his end.

Once Falco was off the screen, John Salt cleared his throat. "The latest model Arwings have exceptional gravity defusing equipment … the latest in tech innovations. Artificial gravity for the feel of flying in atmosphere, and liquid spill management systems, and … so … yes, they _do_ have cupholders."

Krystal smirked with amusement. She cast a glance at the main viewscreen. "They're closing fast."

Fox turned to Krystal. "Okay, timewise, how far out are the Venom forces?"

Krystal closed her eyes and listened with her mind. After a moment, she said, "Their long-range bombers are holding back for some reason. They took a few shots at the moon and at Great Fox, when they were entering the sector, but nothing hit. They used exploding ordinance as warning shots. But now? They're holding off."

Fox chuckled and shook his head. "Andrew fancies himself as having some sort of honor. He's just Andross-lite, but without the callousness and anger. All he wants is to feel respected. All right, we're going to need a way to fight." He turned to John.

Salt feigned a smile. "Remind me to show your piloting droid how to interface when they arrive. For now, follow me. The best part of the tour is coming up." Salt turned and walked off the bridge. "This way!"

Krystal fell into step alongside Fox. In a discrete tone, she told him, "He's terrified yet excited beyond belief. To deflect his fears, he's thinking about how best to spin this incident for a promotion within the company."

Fox grinned. In an equally hushed tone, he told her, "Then let's help him, so he's more inclined to help us."

Krystal nodded with a wry smile.

Fox cleared his throat, quickening his pace to get closer to John. "Hey, Salt, I know this whole situation might seem pretty intense, but if you want us to tell your bosses that you worked alongside of us like a team player, well, who knows, maybe it'll get you further up the corporate ladder. We scratch your back, you scratch ours."

Salt swallowed back a lump of emotional excitement in his throat. "Sounds fair to me, Mr. McCloud. Not much further, now." He stepped onto the lift, waited for Fox and Krystal to join, and pressed the 'hanger' button.

The lift lowered back to the hanger deck.

John held his paws out, taking a moment to hit some of the tour talking points that he memorized over the past week. "The hanger isn't at the bottom of the ship, because if your carrier was attacked from below, it would destroy the single most important feature of your ship – its carrier function. All the recreational areas are at the bottom – gymnasium, mini-pool, such and so-forth. Tertiary storage for unimportant items … I guess you might think of it as a basement."

Fox looked around the hanger as the lift came to rest on the flight deck. He fell into step behind John, with Krystal at his side.

They followed Salt to a rolling door at the far starboard side of the hanger.

Salt punched in numbers on a keypad between two large rolling doors. "One, two, three, four is the pin code until you change it."

The doors lifted, revealing several brand-new latest model Arwings, with blue painted highlights on the nose cone and along the fuselage.

Fox's eyes lit up. "Are these…?"

"Mark fours? No…"

Fox furrowed his brows in confusion. "But they look like a new body style…"

"The Arwing has been redesigned, completely, from the ground up. This is the _Arwing II_, first generation. Surprise. It was supposed to be at the end of the tour, but … I'm going to need you and Krystal to put them through their paces. They've never been battle tested outside of a combat sim arena. They have the more powerful shield generators of the 'Armoured Arwing,' plus a brand new armor technology, well, I guess you already know about how we reverse engineered the armor from her shuttle, uh, but they're more nimble, lighter, and have a tighter turn radius than the second generation Light Arwing models you used against …"

Fox pointed to a rolling ladder next to each ship and nodded at Krystal. He started up one and she started up the ladder of the other Arwing II.

Salt continued, "… And a more powerful plasma engine than the NTD-FX1. This new engine is sealed from the inside to prevent corrosion. You could … well, you could even fly it into the oceans of Zonnes or the acidic seas of Venom, and this ship would operate!"

Fox touched a hatch mechanism on the cockpit. The canopy retracted. He slid down into the seat, surprised by how much more comfortable the chair seemed. He reached behind himself and stuffed his tail down into a hole built into the chair.

Salt added, "Stock configuration, as they are now, the Arwing II is a bit heavier, due to the better engine and the added armor to the front. It's designed for piercing … an homage to how your team destroyed a planet of enemies. It was designed for use in taking out Cap Ships. However, its canons are _slightly_ inferior to the original Arwing … especially the way your team had them modified with ultra-powerful weapons, but you can still upgrade to twin blasters with this stock model. And you can charge your batteries when in atmospheric flight, to extend your flying time between fueling."

Fox reached up for the canopy slide lever.

"The ship's escape pod isn't as geared toward in-atmosphere emergencies like the original Arwing. Also, no more landing gear. It uses hover pads to land on hard surfaces. The designers focused on deep-space survival with this model. Also, the struts and stabilizers are longer on this model for superior atmospheric flights. Oh, and one last thing!"

Fox's canopy clicked shut, followed by a soft hiss of air. He sighed in relief that he could no longer hear Salt rambling.

…Until Salt's earpiece activated with the ship's comms, allowing Salt's voice to come over speakers in the cockpit. John's rambling continued. "You'll be happy to hear that the old Arwing atmospheric speeds of Mach 4.2, with boost, has been broken. The Arwing II has achieved Mach _six_ in unmanned flight tests – the test dummies experienced less than three G's when pulling up or diving at that speed. And, it manages to stay much cooler at that speed than the original Arwings at super or ultra-cruise speeds."

Fox sighed, shook his head, cleared his throat, and said, "So, the stock weapons are inferior to the original?"

"Well, uh, see, Mr. McCloud, the T&B-H1s haven't been manufactured since the Lylat Wars. They're considered obsolete because current legislation has _outlawed_ the level-2 T&B-H_2_twin blaster ion canons. But the Arwing 2 is highly customizable, and its shields and forward armor has been designed to be able to crash into a large enemy, puncture it, and transfer the kinetic energy into…"

"Okay, okay," Fox said. "We're under attack, remember."

"Fox," Krystal said softly. "He's as excited to tell you about it as you are to fly it." She kissed her fingers, then touched the lens built into the dash. "All right, love. Let's fly it."

"Sounds good to me." Fox reached down and booted up the combat computer. The Space Dynamics Co., LTD logo showed up on all the dash screens, and, without further delay, all the warplane's displays went active.

Fox blinked.

Krystal's voice came over his line. "I'm impressed. Usually there's a longer boot time."

Salt came over the line, again. "We are particularly proud of our latest generation of computer systems. Everything is battle ready in under ten seconds from the time you power on, to the time you can engage an enemy."

Fox rubbed his paws together firmly. "All right. _Now_ you're talking my language. Lead with that in the future." He eased into the flight stick, gave the ship a little throttle, and turned the Arwing out of the storage bay.

"Use your pedals to operate the maneuvering thrusters on the hull. Your ship floats, so it won't take much to turn it."

Fox's voice sounded giddy. "Wait, they can do a three-sixty while parked?"

"Easily, Mr. McCloud."

"That's definitely an improvement." Fox cut the maneuvering thrusters hard, causing his fighter to do doughnuts in the middle of the hanger.

"Fox!" Krystal scolded, but it became laughter. "That's something Falco would do!"

"Well, it's my ship, so I get to do it _first_!"

"Boys," Krystal replied with a scoff, trying her best to hide her grin.

"If you have any questions," said Salt over the comms, "I'll be on the bridge, waiting for Mr. Lombardi and Mr. Toad. Oh, and you won't need the catapult to launch your Arwing anymore. They can take off right from the flight deck. Just punch the throttle and boost together."

"Another improvement! All right, Krystal," said Fox with an edge of excitement to his voice. "With me."

A large blast-shield popped up from the deck, directly behind Fox and Krystal. His ship's systems displayed 'green' and 'ready' on the instrument cluster.

Fox's Arwing blasted forward, passing through the hanger doors, into the inky void of space.


	2. Krystal

Chapter -2-

Krystal

**She pushed the throttle forward and a wave of exhilaration **nested in her heart. She couldn't be sure if she was feeding off of Fox McCloud's emotions, of if she was simply giddy about flying such a powerful new ship.

Likely both.

The Arwing II hovered on the flight deck. The shoed stumps of its landing gear retracted, leaving only the hover pads to hold it aloft. The plasma engine roared to life, responsive and far more powerful than its predecessor.

Even with the inertial dampeners, the sheer power of the new engine was immediately obvious.

It was a familiar feeling, but the dampeners made it impressively free of gravity.

The new plasma engine was several times stronger than the old Arwing's launch from a catapult mechanism on the last Great Fox.

She was pinned to her seat for a split second, until the fighter passed through the atmospheric force field, and into the vacuum of space. The force against her body disappeared in an instant.

The rear monitor showed a distortion in the fighter's wake, from creating a sonic boom in the hanger. "John Salt, are you … are you all right? The computer performed a take-off sequence with minimum input from me."

"Of course. Atmospheric controls contain Sonic Boom soundwaves, dispelling the waves for the protection of a deck crew. It was barely louder than a shout."

Fox's voice came over the comms. "Okay, _that_ is impressive."

McCloud's fighter moved alongside of her own, nose-to-nose as if the ships were lined up, parallel to one another, with a tape measure.

It always impressed Krystal how Fox was able to match someone's speed and parallel-park a fighter on the old hanger deck, just by eyeing the distance of surrounding ships. This was no different. His canopy was perfectly aligned with his adjacent fighter.

She reached forward and touched her padded digits against a capacitive screen designed to interface with padded paw palms.

She followed a brief tutorial to operate the sensor array, which displayed on a holographic array just above the controls.

The floating grid of enemies showed targets and their locations by where they were in relation to a triangular blue dot that was perfectly centered above the flight stick's neutral position. The blue marker had the shape of a sideways pyramid, which showed the position of the Arwing and whether or not it was in climb or dive, based on the angle of the triangular blue marker.

"Fox, these ships are like nothing I've flown."

"That's saying a lot," said Fox, "I mean, you know, considering you've flown ships from Cerinia, too. Stuff I could only ever dream about."

"I've only flown four Cerinian models, but … this new Arwing handles like a _dream_, Fox. The hybrid-yoke design really feels intuitive, and, if you haven't noticed, it makes incremental maneuvering adjustments based on how you lean and shift your body."

"What?!" Fox tried shifting his body a little, causing the Arwing to shift a little. "John Salt! Your people have _really_ outdone themselves! But what about slumping? If you become unconscious, will the ship spiral downward?"

Salt's voice came over the cockpit speakers. "Its onboard computer determines if it should go into autopilot, shut off the engines, or perform a landing sequences, depending on where you're at when unconsciousness occurs. It monitors brain activity to determine consciousness. But, I mean, you can turn off those features in the settings menu – it's the little gear at the top right of your main dash readout. You can turn off the gyroscopic body controlling, as well. Or change the sensitivity."

Fox utilized the maneuvering thrusters, manipulating his fighter, until it turned around, so that he was flying in reverse, adjacent to Krystal. His retro-reverse rockets came to life and the main rear booster went dim. Tiny flush nozzles built into the hull blasted fire from the metal seams, keeping him in a straight line. The thrust-control computer made minute calculations to keep him perfectly lined up with her in reverse.

Krystal laughed softly. "The maneuvering thrusters are streamlined into the seams of the armored plating…? That's posh."

Fox laughed in reply. He moved his Arwing directly in front of Krystal's ship, so that he was facing her, but his cockpit was directly above hers. He looked upward through his canopy, gazing down upon her. "Hey there, beautiful. Going my way?"

"Yes, figuratively. Don't you look happy and handsome in your new ship."

Fox beamed. "What was it you said earlier? Just like a little boy in a candy store with holiday money. Heh."

Krystal chuckled and shook her head. "This is amazing. This new Arwing … it is truly wonderful, Mr. John Salt."

The voice of John came over the line again. "Remember what we said – we want you to take advantage of working with our engineers to design unique fighters that reflect your personalities. By all means, I'm available today if you like."

"Then we shall see," said Krystal.

"Heads up," said Fox. "A new ship is … wait, its transponder code is showing Cornerian colors."

"I see it, Fox," said Krystal. She looked down at a warning message on her dash panel. "The computer suggests I wear a flight helmet."

"You can ignore that," said Salt over the comms. "It's a standard message because it wants to interface with a visor HUD."

"Can I connect to non-helmet HUDs?" asked Fox.

"Yes, Mr. McCloud. Simply turn on your HUD and press the 'pairing' button. The computer will seek to pair, it will confirm with you, and then it will display your tac-readout over your preferred device."

Fox grinned. "I've never used one before. I'll have to get one after I'm finished trashing Oikonny's fleet." He cleared his throat, and said, "Falco – is that you and Slippy closing in?"

"Heyyyy! Fox! New Arwings, huh?!" Falco sounded excited.

"Yeah! Krystal, fall back and escort them to the Great Fox. Half of Oikonny's forces are breaking to engage the transport shuttle; the other half are trying to go after the Space Dynamics plant on that moon. There are civilians down there; I'm going to protect the factory."

Krystal felt his emotions spike from a surge of adrenaline. "I'll join you when they've landed."

"Wait until one of them launch; we can't leave Great Fox undefended until ROB is in the pilot's seat." Fox changed his tone, adding, "Slippy? Tell me you brought ROB."

An older model robot's synthesized voice came over the line. "Affirmative, Fox. I look forward to interfacing with this new ship's computer system."

Fox chuckled. "You're excited, too?"

ROB replied, "I need to upload superfluous storage data to new servers and free up some personal space. This is that opportunity."

Krystal grinned. "Did Slippy fill your drives with personality subroutines and useless information?"

"Obviously."

"Hey!" Slippy cried. "Don't rat me out, ROB! I'm the one that maintains and upgrades you, instead of trading you in for a newer model! You've evolved _way_ beyond your original operating capacity! The new coding features, the advanced AI algorithms, and helping you design APIs to better interface with Great Fox's holographic control upgrades…!"

"Slippy," said ROB, "I appreciate that you upgraded me to be a better friend for you."

"Hey! No! That's not what I did!" Slippy exclaimed. "I upgraded you to be a better member of the team! The, uh, friendship came later! It was just icing on the cake!"

ROB feigned a digitized sounding sigh. "It was meant to be a compliment. I like having you as a friend, but … I suppose that it's also nice to have real meaning, as well. Still. I continually have to upload my memory files to the cloud. If I'm in a place with poor reception, I suffer from CRS syndrome."

Falco snickered. "A robot with _can't remember shit_ syndrome. Classic."

ROB continued, "This new Great Fox will require all new APIs, and I will need to upgrade to the newest protocols to better interface to the automated systems."

While the group spoke over the line, Krystal could see high speed fighters moving in the distance, making a bee-line for Falco and Slippy's shuttle.

She increased to full throttle and plotted an intercept course. The computer did the math and pointed her in front of the enemy, so that they would meet before either reached the approaching shuttle.

Holographic rings appeared in front of the canopy, reflecting off the cockpit glass. She followed her computer's suggested attack course by flying through every ring displayed in front of her Arwing.

"Man," said Falco. "That little Arwing _really moves_. And it's longer, in front of the cockpit, than the ones we used against the Aparoids. Makes it look like a flying fang. Badass."

Krystal engaged the boost. The targeting computer rerouted the interception point to account for her speed.

"Krystal, hurry," said Slippy.

"I will be there in time," she replied, while manipulating the controls to bring her ship's cannons online. "I still advise you boys to take evasive maneuvers the moment they open fire. I don't know the range on their ships' guns, but be ready."

"Born ready, sister." Falco increased the shuttle's throttle to full power, shortening his travel time to Great Fox by just minutes. "Flank speed ahead, sister. At this rate, we're going to overload the shuttle, but I should make it to the carrier before the engines overheat. Still, it'll be close."

Krystal could sense Falco's confidence at the edge of her range. "I believe in you," she replied.

"Aw, isn't that just swell. I believe in me, too! Must be the blue that make us so sure of our shit," said Falco with a chuckle.

Krystal glanced down at her dash, followed by a wry grin. "The targeting computer on this Arwing says it should be in range, now. It moves much faster than the enemy fighters." She tapped the screen, confirming the computer's suggestion to fire a long-range smart missile.

The Arwing II didn't even shudder from the release of the missile. It blasted from beneath, streaked out into the inky void of space, and disappeared from view.

Silence.

No one dared to speak.

The missile glinted somewhere out in the distance from the way the rays of SOL gleamed off of it, then it disappeared again.

Before Krystal could make blaster-contact with the approaching enemy fighter, the missile found its mark. The two fighters that were baring down on Falco and Slippy disappeared off the sensor scope.

A flash of a distant explosion showed that the front two ships were destroyed in an instant.

A wry grin tugged at the corner of Krystal's muzzle, but it immediately faded.

She took a deep breath and reminded herself to remain humble. There were now two more people that she killed in the name of warfare. But these were the forces that worked for Andross' surviving kin … Andross, the man that doomed Cerinia.

Distant sensations of hatred and malice faded from her mind with the instant deaths of the two Venomian pilots.

Krystal exhaled. "I've got the first two confirmed kills with the new Arwing model," she announced with a ton of pride that excited McCloud. She couldn't sense his emotions as strongly anymore, due to the distance growing between the two. However, she could feel Falco's pride and Slippy's concern growing. "Almost there, boys!"

"We're glad to see you," said Slippy. "At least _I_ am!"

Krystal's smile broadened. "Oh, I'm sure Falco is, too. He would be rather upset if he was denied the chance to fight Venom forces again."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Falco said with a chuckle. "Here come more of those morons."

Krystal cut forward throttle and used her maneuvering thrusters to turn the ship, so that she faced the Arwing toward the approaching enemies, while flying in the direction of the shuttle. "I see them."

"Yo, girl, you stealing McCloud's moves?"

She scoffed in reply. "Hush, Falco. Gliding is a time-honored flight tactic in space." She opened fire as fast as she could mash her thumbs on the trigger button. The remaining fighters broke off from their flight path.

"Ninety seconds," said Falco. "Hey, John Salt, turn the carrier to face us, so we can land quick."

"Maneuvering now," said Salt.

Krystal punched the throttle and headed into the fray. "These new speakers don't sound nearly as tinny."

Falco said, "Why, yes, my deep and robust voice _is_ worth hearing."

"Give it a rest," Slippy added.

"Fine, whatever, Froggie. Almost there. Then I won't have to hear any more complaining."

"Okay, uncalled for," said Slippy. "Shut your beak for once in your life, will ya'? Besides, you're the one complaining that it's taking too long to get to the ship."

Krystal shook her head with a slight grin, amused by the bantering of her boys. "Looks like you're thirty seconds out. I'll keep these fighters distracted. Don't dawdle."

"I won't," said Falco.

Krystal pulled a loop while opening fire to force two more incoming fighters to break away and move evasively.

The Arwing II responded smooth and quick. She came out of the loop and began to pursue one of the nearest enemy fighters.

"That's it, sister!" shouted Falco. "Chase it down and show'im who's boss!"

Krystal engaged the fighter before it could get a missile lock on Falco and Slippy's shuttle. She moved defensively to keep them protected all the way back to the new carrier.

She placed her feet on the pedals and performed the infamous aileron roll, dubbed a 'barrel' roll by Cornerians. The ship repelled blaster fire before it could reach the shuttle.

Krystal came out of the roll and asked, "Why do we call aileron rolls 'barrel rolls,' anyhow?"

John Salt came over the comms again. "Because, a thousand years ago, a squad of Cornerian soldiers in the tunnels beneath the Capital City, were the only surviving squad to protect the Capital City. This ancient battle is pretty famous to Cornerians. With their armor damaged and worthless, they repurposed wine barrels as armor, and emerged from the tunnels. Their rounded makeshift barrel armor repelled enemy attacks. The squad successfully pierced the heart of the attacking tribe and killed its General. They effectively ended the war."

Krystal blinked. "Seriously?"

"Yes, ma'am. A thousand years later, to the very month, Space Dynamics put the prototype Arwing into space with the ability to repel energy attacks. We named it the 'barrel roll' after the squad of men who were essential to the liberation of Corneria's Capital from the Siege Of Simians."

Fox came over the line, adding, "Yeah, funny how it worked so well against the monkeys when so many of them moved to Venom to join Andross' cause. Claimed we were an inferior race, then turned around and got their butts handed back to them by the Arwing."

John chuckled. "I wish we could use that quote, but it would be racist."

Falco scoffed over the comms. "It's always time to show the monkeys who's boss. Look out there at that approaching fleet. Proof the apes and lizards haven't changed. I say you use Fox's quote."

John cleared his throat. "Um…" John cleared his throat again. "Anyhow, Ms. Krystal, Space Dynamics realized the 'barrel roll' gaffe later on, when pilots gave their feedback to our engineers. But for all the people who demand it be called an aileron roll, and for all the internet memes about the 'barrel roll,' it's still the most effective way to repel enemy attacks when flying an Arwing."

Krystal felt … fairly humbled. "And it won the war against Venom with only a squadron, just like the ancient battle."

"Exactly!" said Salt. "All right, I see your team's shuttle is docking now! The new Great Fox shields can close off specific emitters to make a hole for docking, while keeping the rest of the ship protected! Mr. Lombardi and Mr. Toad, I'll see you on the hanger deck!"

Fox blinked. "Why not just make our shields tuned to whatever frequency the carrier's shields use, so we can pass through?"

"Because, Mr. McCloud, if an enemy steals the shield frequency codes for Cornerian ships, they would penetrate the shields. Look, it happened enough times during the war, that we made a way around it – shields that can repel anything, so the emitters open up a section for your safe passage. You can change the settings from the bridge if you don't like it."

Krystal pulled back on the control stick, and turned away from the Great Fox, watching in her rear screen as the shuttle disappeared inside the carrier. "Fox, they're aboard!"

"All right, form up on me, and let's take it to the apes."

Krystal increased her throttle, hit the boost, and headed for the 'friendly' marker on her holographic sensor display.

The computer locked on to McCloud's ship and displayed an intercept time adjacent to the aiming reticule in the canopy.

"Forty seconds away, Fox!"

"Glad you're joining the party, Krystal."

"Fox, we have flown together for two years, love. By now, you should know I _am_ the party!"

Falco chuckled over comms. "Damn, I'll have to remember that one."

Krystal smiled inwardly, flooded by all the cocky confidence of her teammates. "Twenty-five seconds, Fox."

"I see you approaching," McCloud replied.

"I'm coming in hot. Form on your wing, or break and attack?"

"You're hot all right. Break and attack, Krystal. Happy hunting."

"Copy that!" She turned her nosecone toward a squadron of fighters and blew through them like a cue ball plowing through a rack of billiard balls.

A grin spread across her face like a ray of sunshine over a flower on an otherwise cloudy day. She beamed with excitement, charged up by all the intense emotions she sensed from her team, along with the flood of adrenaline.

Fox was always so business oriented in a cockpit, and she usually latched onto it so that she could remain calm, but the excitement of the attack and the surprise brand new Arwing IIs had Fox '_over the moon_,' and Krystal's excitement got the better of her.

"Woo!" she exclaimed. The vixen thumbed the ship's guns, opening up on the first enemy to enter her crosshairs. "Falco, you'd better hurry or I won't leave you any targets!"

"Oh, I'm gonna bring the fire, sister. You just wait and see, girl."

Krystal watched the boosters of her adversary and sensed their intent to loop out. She hit the boost, pulled back on the controls and climbed with the Venom fighter.

The new Arwing was far nimbler. She went straight up, looped much tighter, and on her way back down, she quickly found herself _above_ her enemy, as he came out of his wider loop. She opened fire, cutting through the cockpit of the fighter, then passed through the debris as it blasted apart from a ruptured fuel cell and exploding engines.

"Wow!" Fox shouted.

"Wow!" Krystal chimed back.

"You just did a tight oval loop, while he did a wide circle. You came down at him from above – he never saw you coming!"

"These machines are amazing, Fox!" She took a deep breath, chose another target in the distance, and proceeded after it.

Salt came over the comms again. "Thrust vectoring. Your booster shifts just a tiny bit, so as to make your loops tighter."

Krystal was beyond impressed. It was like nothing she'd flown before, and now that she knew they were made from Cerinian technology, she wanted one to call her own, more than anything else she'd ever wanted in her life. "Mr. John Salt – you said something about making our own personalized ships?"

"Ms. Krystal, it would be our pleasure for your team to sit down with our team and create your own personalized ships that operate on the Arwing technology. Should I pencil you in for an appointment?"

"Mr. Salt, you can carve it in stone. I'll be there with my earnings from the Aparoid homeworld attack run."

"Nonsense, Ms. Krystal. Our Promotions department and our Public Relations department have given me clearance to pay for a ship for each member of your team. We'll write it off in our taxes. Everything has been arranged in advance."

Krystal manipulated the set of pedals at her feet, controlling the yaw. She pressed her toes forward, pushing on the top of the pedals to engage the retro-reverse rockets to aid in a quick brake, and turned her fighter around, so that it was facing backwards while still hurdling through space in her original trajectory.

The stars flew by her in reverse. She lined up a shot with someone tailing her, and opened fire. The blaster fire struck the wings of her foe, skimming them so close that it burned the paint off the hull and wings on the first shot.

Her second volley of blaster fire sheered off the wings so close to the fuselage that the enemy fighter lost all attitude control. The Venom fighter hurdled through space, end over end, without its engines or stabilizing thrusters.

"Great job, Krystal! You sure peeled the paint off that fighter!"

"Was _that_ supposed to be a _compliment_," she asked. "Or was that some sort of … professional assessment?"

"I, uh…" Fox cleared his throat.

Krystal shook her head with a chuckle. "You, uh…?"

"I heard that somewhere, and … it just kind of came out."

"Uh-huh." She smirked, hit the boost, and pulled out of the reverse course. "It's fine, you know. Her shoes are … large to fill. However that expression goes. I'm honored to step into them. Now, I believe I'm supposed to tell you to … _keep your nose dry_." She watched the trajectory of the damaged fighter and laughed. "My goodness, look!"

The damaged fighter she shot went veering off into its squad mates, wiping out six of seven fighters.

Krystal snapped her fingers. "Drat, nearly a strike. Guess I'll have to settle for a spare, then."

"Holy Moley!" shouted Slippy. "I don't know what's more impressive! The fact that Krystal used an enemy to take out almost an entire squadron, or the fact that these fighters really cook! Fox, you better get salt _and_ pepper, this time around!"

Falco chuckled over the radio. "Speaking of bringing up jokes from the past, geeze."

Krystal finished off the last fighter from the squadron she'd destroyed with a damaged enemy. She tilted her stick then pulled back on it, and made a wide arc, coming about to form up with Fox. "You want to go after Oikonny while Falco and Slippy clean up the rest of his attack group?"

"Why, I would be delighted," said Fox. "On me!"

"Forming on your wing, Fox!" Krystal pushed the throttle bar forward to maximum acceleration. '_Flank Speed_' showed on a dash panel readout. "I didn't know these ships could do '_ludicrous_' speed."

"Those ships can go plaid," said John Salt over the comms. "Yeah, I've seen those old movies, too."

"I never fully understood that joke. Fox has shown me the movies, but I never really fully grasped the joke's meaning."

Fox chuckled over the line. "Falco, you want to explain it?"

"Yeah, sure." Falco cleared his throat. "You know how stars become stripes when you go to hyper-speed? Well, the joke is that the next pattern faster than stripes is, well, plaid."

"Oh, for Heaven's sake," she groused, followed by a slight grin. "That's just … Falco! Port side!"

Falco hit the brakes hard, causing his retro reverse boosters to glow bright. His Arwing stopped hard and a missile, fired from Oikonny's ship, screamed in front of him on an intersecting course, but missed narrowly.

"Damn!" Falco crowed. "These things stop on a dime and pick up nine cents change! Thanks, sister!"

"Don't mention it, Falco. Fox? Shall we?"

"You know it," replied McCloud, headed for Andrew Oikonny's lead ship at the center of the attack fleet.


	3. The Calm Before The Storm

X

Chapter -3-  
_The Calm Before the Storm_

** Falco scoffed over the comms** in his trademark cocky tone. "Is this guy serious? He's running _away_…? What kinda craptastic move is that?"

Slippy replied first. "His forces are scattering. According to the computers, most of them have put in direct routes to Venom. Not that I need a fancy computer to tell me what I can see with my own eyes – brake lights and boosters, but I'd _love_ to look at the lines of code that predicts trajectory like that."

Fox's voice was usually thinner over the comms than in person, but the new Arwing cockpit speakers made him sound anything but tinny. "Okay, okay guys. Calm it down. The attack is over. John, we haven't even signed the paperwork on these ships, yet. Do you want us to return to Great Fox, or go after him?"

"You're … letting _me_ decide?"

Krystal feigned a slight smile. "Of course, Mr. Salt. Your company still has ownership of these fighters."

"Actually," Salt trailed off to clear his throat, followed by a weak chuckle. "Everything has been in your name since before you arrived at the factory, today. We transferred everything to your name as a gift. Sure, we were going to have you put your paw print on a pad to show you took possession of them … you know, for insurance purposes, but everything is already yours. And, I know it's not my place to suggest this, but we initially avoided the media for you, Mr. McCloud, but then Venom attacked our facility. So, you know the media is watching _this_. In my opinion, you should go after Oikonny before he gets away, regroups, and causes more problems. If you don't, the media will question your actions publically."

Fox exhaled softly through his front teeth. "What about you, John?"

"I'm delighted to have been a part of this, but I have a transport shuttle on the flight deck. My plan was always to let you test drive your new ship, then leave from the shuttle bay and head home. I mean, I have four hours left in my shift, then I have to watch my niece and nephew for my sister."

Lombardi chuckled softly. "Nine-to-Five'er, eh? That's all right. You'll have a story to tell them kids, y'know? Besides, it's not like we won't see you again. We'll be placing orders for personalized ships. And if Fox is too cheap to buy them as a team expense, I've finally got good enough credit that I'll finance it."

Fox grunted. "C'mon, Falco, I'm not _cheap_. I just didn't see the need to upgrade Great Fox's armor plating until after the Saurian mission made it financially possible."

Krystal smiled at the boys' bantering. "Falco, he upgraded Great Fox just before the Aparoids invaded, yes? Fox has a keen sense of timing; we can all most-certainly agree upon that. Perhaps it is luck, perhaps skill; perhaps he's attuned to something the rest of us are not … my point is that he was prepared in time for the invasion. He provided his team with the protection of an upgraded dreadnaught _and_ he upgraded to the latest Arwings shortly before the Aparoid Assault."

"Aw, jeeze, sister, give it a rest. Fox panicked and updated everything because Corneria had intel that Oikonny was preparing to attack Fortuna. You don't gotta fluff your boyfriend. He did what I'd do … he waited till the last friggin' second. Procrastination. That's how we do. Bachelors with the capital 'B' emoji."

Krystal rolled her eyes. "If the media is indeed watching us and listening to our comm stream broadcasts…"

Falco groaned over the comms. "Okay, okay. I'll shut my yap. I get it. Look good in front of the fans. Still, I want to call mine _Sky Claw_, heh. And it needs multi-lock! And faster speed, and lower weight. I don't need this armor – I need to be the first one into the fight." He cleared his throat, followed by, "Sorry. Keyed up over these fighters. I have so many design ideas. I, uh, I'm still willing to pay for it if Fox cheap's out like he did leading up to the Dino Planet job. Heh."

Krystal sighed. "Falco, my goodness…"

Fox sighed. "Falco, you know these radios are full duplex, right? Just like a communicator. We can talk over each other if you want. I could have interrupted you by telling you to stop talking before you finished your sentence. But the truth is … I prepared for way more than taking down Andrew. We could have done that with the old gear. You and I could have done that with speeder bikes, jackets, and oxygenated helmets. But I wanted my team to be ready. So, I got an advance with Pepper to upgrade and update _everything_ before Andrew was ready. It was a lot easier to outfit a squad and a single ship than for Andrew to prep an entire invasion force."

Krystal shifted her weight in her seat, forming up along with Fox, Falco, and Slippy. "To be honest, Falco, Fox was worried about being broadsided by Andross or some other threat _while_ fighting Andrew. Like I said, his timing was impeccable. Little did we know it would be a threat far more dangerous than Andross."

Falco groaned long and low. "Okay, okay. Jeeze La-weeeeze, we get it. You're Fox's biggest fan, sister. And, Fox, I don't know why you were worried about Andross. The dude is dead. You and I put that guy out of his misery. I kept his defenses busy and jettisoned you the stuff to fight the old ape."

John Salt came over the line again. "Can I ask a personal question of you, Mr. Lombardi?"

"Yeah, whatever. Shoot it."

"You're supposed to be the team's ace pilot. Why didn't _you_ put Andross down that day over Sauria?"

"Jeeze, you got a lot to learn about battlefield etiquette."

"_Etiquette_?" Slippy scoffed. "That's a big word for you, Falco."

"Yeah, shut it, Froggie. Anyway, John, it's like this, pal. Fox and Andross got beef. But me? My fight against the old guy is political and, like, to defend home and all that, right? Well, Fox's thing with that guy is _real_-friggin'-personal." Falco pronounced the last word, '_poi-suh-nuhl_.'

"So, you _let_ Fox defeat Andross? You're saying you could've done it, too?"

"Could I fight in an Arwing? Hell yeah. But, like … _would I_ have stepped on Fox's toes against the guy _personally responsible_ for ruining his childhood family? Hell no. I listen to McCloud because he's team leader. I respect my wing commander because he's the only fighter pilot I _do_ respect. The man fights _almost_ as good as me in the sky. The man fights _almost_ as good as Slippy in a Landmaster and Submarine. The man fights as good as Peppy Hare, back in his prime, with a blaster. And he's got CQC skills where it counts. Well rounded guy. But, John, here's the thing – Krystal wasn't wrong when she said Fox is prepared for a fight. The man knows how to get into the heads of his enemies, and he does all that tactical and strategy crap. See, but, here's the thing you gotta remember…"

No one spoke over Falco's attempt at showing rare respect for someone else.

Falco continued, "…When it came down to two ships in space? Andross had the advantage yet Fox had the edge. I backed my boy because we're brothers 'till we die. But, like, here's the thing: I would _never_ deny Fox his chance to get revenge on the son-of-a-gun that did in his folks. You got all'a that?"

"I, uh … I did." John sounded rather humbled.

Fox looked up the visual of Falco above his HUD and smiled a bit. "That's…" He trailed off to find the right words. "That's…"

Krystal finished her mate's sentence by adding, "…Really appreciated to hear, Falco."

Fox cleared his throat. "I, uh, I was, actually I was going to say it was the most he's ever said at one time, before."

Falco chuckled like a typical jock.

Krystal glared at her boyfriend's video feed. "Your best friend has _never_ opened up like that before. Acknowledge it, Fox."

"He did," Falco replied with an amused grin. "That's how we do. Like, back when he told me he was gonna give you a ring, I told him he's a big ole' stupid sap, but that I'll buy the cigars the day he ties the knot."

Fox grinned. "It was a little harsher than 'big ole stupid sap.'"

"Yeah, you prolly freakin' deserved it at the time." Falco pronounced the word, '_duh-zoy'ved_.'

"Probably so." Fox looked to the left and right, checking on his team's fighters just outside of his cockpit. "Well, since you guys formed up, I guess we're going after Andrew Oikonny together. Uh, Slippy, head on back to Great Fox, land and stow your gear, and see John Salt off, so he can get home in time to babysit."

"Copy that!" Slippy squeaked.

"And, uh, Falco? We fight so the rest of Lylat can have some nine-to-five normalcy."

"Yeah, yeah, I know that, you big goof."

Fox continued. "Krystal? Can you get Peppy back on the line and let him know what the team is up to? He'll get the paperwork filled out on his end so that we're handling things on the legal end – space combat in Lylat is controlled, unless you're a pirate like O'Donnell. This team does things legally."

"On it," said Krystal.

"Returning to base," said Slippy. He arced about, and headed directly for the Great Fox Carrier, in the distance. "ROB, lay in a course based on Fox's trajectory. I'll be up to the bridge after I finish my post-flight inspection."

ROB replied, "Try not to become _too_ distracted by all the new equipment on your way to the bridge. Kidding, of course."

"Really, ROB? I get enough guff from F-F-Falco – I thought you had my back."

"I always have your back," said ROB.

"Uh-huh. Slippy out." Toad signed out of the video uplink, and his ship disappeared into the front bay of the new Great Fox Carrier.

Krystal changed the canopy opacity level to its clearest setting and looked out the cockpit glass at Fox. She gently rolled a few degrees port then a few degrees starboard, followed by leveling out.

Her slight movements caught Fox's attention. She smiled and blew him a kiss. She could see him grin in reply, even though the polarization tinting of his canopy.

She glanced up at his image above her HUD and saw the side of his face over the video feed, because he was looking out his canopy. A smile tugged at the corners of his muzzle.

"What're you two doin'?" Falco asked.

Krystal answered before Fox. "Giving one-another a nod of praise for a job well done on this flight, Falco. That's what couples do. They acknowledge one another's work, so that the teammate feels more like a partner and less like a coworker."

Falco scoffed. "What the hell for?"

Krystal rolled her eyes with a chuckle. "We're in love, Falco. That's how it works."

"Yuck. No thanks. Katt gets all sappy like that and it's annoying. We fight a squad of targets, we win, we go about our day. Don't need all that kissy-face validation nonsense."

Krystal laughed. "I acknowledge that you really _do_ understand how emotional validation works after all."

"Doesn't mean I like that crap! I don't need to coddle a girl's feelings; she doesn't need to coddle mine. That crap is annoying."

"Oh, Falco, that's what a jealous person says. I don't sense it from you, so … are you _lonely_?"

"What!? Give that foo-foo crap a rest, girl."

Fox chuckled. "Falco doesn't care about being jealous, being alone, or anything else. He's got buddies, and he's happy with that."

"See?" Falco crowed. "That's why Fox and I make a badass team. He gets it. We both kick ass, and that's that. Moving on. Now, speaking of kicking ass. Let's hunt down Oikonny. Looks like he's headed for that little moon in orbit around Sauria."

Krystal smiled. "We're returning to Sauria again?"

"A moon," said Falco. "Not the same place, sister."

Fox offered a smile over the video communication, and told her, "We can swing by afterwards, if you want to visit King Tricky."

"Excellent!" Krystal's smile broadened. "The Venom forces aren't even on the scope anymore. Let's head after Andrew and arrest him."

"Or kick his ass," said Falco with a chuckle.

"Or _both_," Krystal replied with a wry chuckle.

"Let's determine our next course of action when we get there," Fox told them both. "Because I like 'both' options equally, especially at this point. He knows what Lylat has been through after his uncle's drama, not to mention the Aparoids, and then Saura coming apart."

"Which," Falco trailed off into a pause, a slight chuckle, and a huff of annoyance, "…Was _even more_ of his uncle's drama."

Krystal's tone became serious and heartfelt. "It's time for this system to heal."

X

X

**Fox lifted his eyes from the sensor scope** and watched through the canopy glass as John Salt's transport shuttle distanced itself from the Great Fox Carrier.

He opened a channel and said, "Thanks again for all your help. We'll, uh, have to do some sort of photo op for Space Dynamics."

John's voice was a little tinny over the speakers built into the sides of the cockpit, due to the aging microphone tech on Salt's shuttle. "_Thanks for some memories I will never forget. I mean that in a good way_."

Fox grinned. "We'll make more, uh, _grounded_ ones the next time we meet."

"_I'll hold you to it_."

"And for the record, these seats are _really_ comfortable."

"_Yeah, you guys are known for flying from Corneria all the way to Venom in one sortie. R&D took that into account_."

"Yeah, well, I appreciate that."

John chuckled softly. "_All right, off I go. Until next time_!" John's transport shuttle became a blur, then it disappeared into hyperspace.

Fox looked away from the empty spot where Salt's shuttle had been. He cleared his throat and turned his attention to the moon over Sauria.

The Saurian lunar surface had an enormous crater.

Fox recalled the crater was made from where it once brushed against a chunk of the floating Saurian surface, back when the planet came apart a few years ago.

Krystal spoke over the comms on the team's channel. "I love how Sauria's lunar satellite was named 'Miracle.' I've always found that inspiring."

Falco scoffed. "Miracle? Pft. They should've called it '_science_' because that's all you need to explain that chunk of rock getting an atmosphere after the planet came apart. How the hell did technology pull the planet back together, anyhow? All those dinosaurs should have died when that thing came apart like a giant jigsaw puzzle."

Fox sighed. "Falco, look it up."

"Like I got time for that. Whatever. You don't know the answer, that's why you're telling _me_ to look it up."

Fox scoffed the same way Falco had a moment earlier.

"No, no, fearless leader. I want to see if you really know."

"Fine," said Fox with a grunt. He paused, looked up at the moon again, and said, "The Krazoa were afraid of dying. At least … according to the archeologists and anthropologists that have been studying the planet. They've been studying it since my job, there. Apparently, the Krazoa were technological geniuses. When they discovered a looming extinction level event, they drilled down into the Saurian surface, and the planet was designed to be turned into multiple interstellar vehicles."

"Wait," Falco said with furrowed brows over the video feed. "I didn't hear about that part. Are you serious?"

Krystal chimed in next. "The working theory is that the Krazoa turned each section of the planet into an ark. It was supposed to come apart and launch each part of their world into deep space, and the core would explode to provide them with inertia. The sections had force fields to provide atmosphere, gravity, and protection. Each section of the world would go flying into different directions to populate the deepest parts of space with their species. They could live on the parts of their world by continent, and they would heat and light it with … you guessed it: technology."

Fox came back into the conversation, picking up where she left off. "The planet was set up to do this in stages. First, the pieces would come apart from the core, so that when they detonated the core, it wouldn't destroy the land arks. So, each section came apart from the core to a safe distance, tethered by tractor beam technology. The next stage was to detonate the planet's core, and send each 'ark' in a different direction. Luckily, I got the Force Stones back to the Force Point Temples before the core detonated."

Krystal spoke again, adding, "Andross was using energy from the planet to restore himself. He used the Force Point Temple Stones to great effect, but that caused the interlocking parts of each continental 'ark' to go into separation mode. Without the Force Stones, the mag locks failed, and the planet drifted apart. Stage two automatically initiated. The tractor beam held the planetary sections together in orbit, but separated from each other. From what the scientists have learned, if the arks stay in parked orbit around the core for a long while, it will initiate a countdown sequence."

"Why?" asked Falco.

"Because the core would get cold and burn out over time, so if the planet was left spread apart for much longer, it would have triggered the explosion before the core could die out."

"Good thing Fox got the job done before the timer got to zero, then, huh?"

Krystal cleared her throat and said, "Falco, it wasn't set for a certain _time_ – Cornerian science teams think it was set for whenever the Saurian core dropped to a certain temperature. Either way, Fox stopped Andross before the core's auto detonation sequence."

Falco rubbed the bottom part of his beak in thought. "Okay, fine. I get it, now. And you used the Arwing to fly from section to section to stop Andross, find the Force Stones, and stop the countdown by using the Krazoa spirits and the Force Point temples to cancel the final stage – full planetary separation, and core detonation. But what I _don't_ understand, is…"

Fox interjected, "Let me guess, you don't understand why the Krazoa died out before they could utilize their plan to populate the rest of the galaxy?"

"Hey, extinction level events can happen to anyone," said Falco.

"So, then, what? You don't understand why the moon could withstand touching a landmass without being pushed away by inertia, or how the landmass could be called back to the planet without pulling the moon with it?"

"Jeeze, Fox." Falco shifted his weight in his cockpit seat. "No, I get how forcefields work, and how the length of the tractor beam could make it so that the moon's gravity was attracted to a floating piece, without hitting too hard. I guess what I'm trying to say is…"

"Wait, let me guess," said Fox, knowing it would annoy his friend. "You don't understand why the Krazoa decided against just doing it, after putting all that work and money into making a planet that could come apart like that, right?"

"Damn, Fox, you're doing that on purpose, aren't you? God. No. I remember watching that part on the TV documentary – the damn Krazoa realized that if they took a planet out of the Lylat System, it would jack up the orbit order of other planets, and they didn't want to hurt the fledgling lives on the neighboring worlds, because we were all smart enough to speak and think, 'n crap like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. My _question_, Mr. Smart Guy, was … why the Miracle moon got its own atmosphere after colliding, all gentle-like, with a piece of Sauria, y'know, during the split. What's up with that?"

Krystal cut back into the conversation. "When it connected with the land ark, the landmass's automatic atmospheric bubble field surrounded the moon. Cornerian scientists that are studying Sauria have theorized that the 'ark' landmasses are designed to trigger a terraforming protocol with any world they touch, so the Krazoa would be able to colonize any world they sought to repurpose."

"How would someone steer a chunk of a planet?"

Krystal shifted her weight in her cockpit seat to get comfortable. "Volcanos designed to release a sustained blast. They acted as maneuvering thrusters. Those thrusters would be used to change the trajectory of a landmass ark, so the Krazoa could land on worlds that are the correct distance from a system's star. One of the working theories is that when one of those ark landmasses touched the moon, it terraformed it, automatically."

"Jeeeeze. Did the moon and the floating landmass touch by accident?"

Fox added, "The moon came to the landmass. Gravimetric attraction."

"Yes, what Fox said," Krystal agreed. She went on to explain, "You see, Falco, a chunk of Sauria terraformed the moon when the two masses made contact. But the distance caused them to come together slowly, so they didn't destroy one another. It was a _miracle_ that either survived that."

"Wait, I thought there was already a section of the planet where the moon crashed into it. Moon Mountain Pass or whatever, right?"

"Sauria used to have _two_ moons," said Fox.

Krystal added, "When the Krazoa were testing the technology, but before they decided whether or not to go through with it, separating the planet with the Force Point Temples caused their section's lunar satellite to enter a trajectory that brought it to the planet's surface within a hundred years of the Land Ark project."

"So, what happened?" asked Falco, uncharacteristic curiosity in his tone.

Krystal continued. "The current theory is that the guy in charge of the planet during that project died or a new successor was elected, and then the successor decided to cancel the project when they discovered that several other planets in this system had life on it, and that leaving Lylat would cause destabilization of the orbits of the other worlds. The orbits would change, and there was no way to predict if those worlds' species would survive the changes."

"Damn," Falco muttered. "So, the Krazoan race was wiped out when that second moon struck the Saurian surface and created Moon Mountain Pass?"

"That's the current theory," said Fox. "No one seems to be sure what caused the ELE that wiped out the Krazoa. But, Cornerian scientists will figure out the full truth eventually. It's taking a network of super computers to rebuild the ancient computer records that were archived by the Krazoa roughly a million years ago."

Falco scoffed. "You think those files will still work after that long? Pfft, yeah right."

Fox added, "The records can't be accessed before being rebuilt … else the originals will be destroyed. Anyhow, this second moon was rumored to have had its own atmosphere back in the original time of the Krazoa."

"How the hell they know that?"

"Because, Falco, there are buildings on the moon. Ruins dating back untold years. But, at some point, it became a dead secondary world, and the Krazoa that lived there either died out or returned to the Saurian surface long before the planet-dwelling population designed their world to become multiple landmass arks. Again, this is all just a current working theory. No one knows for sure, yet."

"So, the atmosphere on the remaining moon was a mistake…? An accident…?"

Krystal feigned a smile. "Yes, Falco. At least the experts seem to think so. It was an accident. And that's why the Interplanetary Defense Coalition gave it the new designation of 'Miracle.' The real question, here, is why would Andrew Oikonny retreat to Miracle? It's completely unexplored, and satellite studies seem to indicate that the technology utilized on Miracle is far beneath the Saurian Krazoa."

Fox nodded in agreement to Krystal, adding, "Plus there's no food and minimal water on Miracle. The ice at the caps evaporated thousands of years ago, and the water that was transferred to it from the terraforming protocol being triggered a few years ago … well, it wasn't enough water to sustain life on Miracle. Just enough to make rain for the localized plants that started growing after the atmosphere took hold. Hell, it's just … a miracle any of that stuff even exists in the first place."

"Geeeze laweeze, talking science with you two is just … _annoying_. Look, I just wanted to know why the planet suddenly got an atmosphere a few years ago. I didn't need the long-drawn-out crap. Let's just go find Andrew. It should be easy, since he'll be the only living thing down there, right?"

Fox looked up, above his HUD.

Krystal did the same in her cockpit. She saw the bottom-side of Falco's beak on his video feed.

Slippy's visual filled the canopy HUD. "Hey, guys!"

Krystal touched a button on her control panel, shrinking Slippy's visual down, above the HUD, to line up with the rest of the team's feeds.  
"Hello, Slippy. Have you contacted Corneria for us?"

"Yeah. I have Peppy on the line, along with General Pepper, who is still 'officially' on medical leave. Also, I'm scanning the moon, right? And, check this out, it's filled with some sort of rare metal that isn't catalogued in the Periodic Table of elements. It's messing with our sensors."

Fox frowned. "Is it radioactive?"

Falco laughed. "God, I hope so. I'd love for Andrew to cook himself from the inside out. Plus, we'd never have to worry about him spawning."

Slippy chuckled. "I doubt we have to worry about that, anyhow. Andrew isn't exactly much of a catch. He was voted by Play Vixen magazine to be the ugliest currently-living man in Lylat, beating out the lead singer of that one band, DimeForward."

Krystal offered her teammates a moue of disgust. "DimeForward. The face of generic formulaic corporate rock. I agree, their lead singer isn't exactly a very attractive pug."

"A face only a mother could love," said Falco with a chuckle. "I'm surprised Oikonny beat out that guy for the esteemed category of '_system's ugliest dude_'. I guess he's just that hated, now."

"Yup." Fox chuckled.

A pause, then, "Wait, Slippy, you read Play Vixen?"

Slippy coughed into his hand. "For the articles. Don't start with me right now, Falco."

Fox covered for his friend. "Slippy, did I hear you correctly? You said you reached Pepper _and_ Peppy?"

"I have them on the other line. I figured I'd wait until we stopped joking around before patching them in."

"Good idea. Okay, everyone. Game faces, please. Slippy? Patch in Pepper and Peppy."

"Rodger that, Fox. Stand by." Slippy paused to type in a command on his capacitive keyboard. "Okay, get ready, everyone…"

A few seconds later, Peppy Hare and John Pepper showed up, side-by-side above the canopy HUD of each pilot's new Arwing.

Fox offered a wave, Falco lifted a single finger as a half-wave, Slippy waved boisterously, and Krystal issued a polite smile and nod.

Peppy smiled back at the group. "Hey, everybody. Hello, again, John."

General Pepper reached up to remove his uniform hat, but it wasn't on his head. He casually saluted the group, instead. "Just so we're clear, I am no longer the acting fleet General, and I am not representing the IDC."

Falco scoffed. "The I.D.C. can suck my D.I.C., General. We worked for _you_, not them."

General Pepper cleared his throat softly, to try and maintain his composure. "Mm, yes, well … they wanted to convey their blessings for you boys to put Oikonny in prison."

A grin tugged at the stiff corners of Falco's slightly-malleable beak. "Good. We have Oikonny cornered. A moon isn't very large, so he doesn't have many places to hide."

John Pepper cut his gaze from left to right, and said, "Peppy, you have full authority to speak in my name until the end of this mission. Star Fox, this is not something to post about on Social Media. Just handle Andrew Oikonny discretely, and bring him in to answer for _all_ the war crimes in which he participated while under the employ of his uncle, and for his war crimes while he was based on Fortuna, before the Aparoid Assault."

Krystal frowned. "General, sir, you're not going to be our contact for this mission?"

"I am headed in for my physical therapy appointment. I have deputized Peppy to act in my name in an official capacity."

"To be clear, kids, I'm not a General," Peppy told the team. "I'm a liaison. If you guys crash Miracle into Sauria, or something, then I'm culpable. So, for Vivian and Lucy's sake, _don't_ destroy anything. At least not until I get there."

Fox offered a tender smile … at least tender for a man who was about to turn thirty. "You're coming out here, Pep?"

"Yeah, I'm on my way, actually. My FTL drive spooled up right after Slippy patched in my feed. I'll engage it as soon as I get off the line with you boys."

"What's your ETA?" asked Fox.

"Corneria is on the other side of Solar from Sauria right now. It should take five hours to reach that far, but I can't exactly go in a straight line; I have to go around Solar … so, maybe six and a half hours? Seven tops."

"You want us to establish a basecamp on the surface before you arrive, or do you want us to stay in orbit?"

John Pepper cleared his throat. "Peppy, this is your operation, so far as I'm concerned. Star Fox, I have to leave. My ride is here. I'll check in with you all soon enough." Pepper's video feed vanished from above the canopy HUD.

Peppy cleared his throat. "Perhaps get into orbit and establish a safe landing zone. I'm not trying to be shot down by surface-to-air missiles when I get into the area. I'll contact you when I'm in orbit. Can this new Great Fox Carrier even land?"

Falco scoffed. "Wait, you didn't know about all this stuff in advance, did you?"

Krystal rolled her eyes at Falco. "Don't be absurd. He would already know its landing capabilities in advance if he was read-in, like General Pepper had been." She cut her gaze to Peppy's video feed. "We'll establish a landing zone, then have Slippy land the carrier on the surface. You won't have to worry, Peppy."

Fox added, "Well, at appears at least half of my team knows the protocol. All right, I'll wait for your contact. If we don't hear from you in, say, seven hours, I'll pull the team back and try to establish contact with Corneria. Sound reasonable?"

"Make it eight hours," said Peppy. "Just in case. But, yeah, you'll hear from me as soon as I drop out of hyperspace. I'll just need to establish connection with the nearest sub-space communication relay buoy. Try to keep that idiot from separating Sauria like his uncle did."

Fox chuckled. "He's not _on_ Sauria, Pep. Stop worrying."

"Fox, there's something that never made it into the televised and holo-vised documents about Sauria's separation … the Krazoa relay station to broadcast the command for planetary separation was at a small facility located _on Miracle_. It was used as an emergency control station in case of any problems with the planet-based station. If you're going to dismantle a planet, you need to have redundant control facilities for an emergency."

"Jeeze laweeze," Falco muttered. "So, Andrew could blow up Sauria from the moon's surface?"

Peppy added, "Yes, Falco. A back up unit of the tractor beam is located somewhere on Miracle. It's believed that Andross discovered that when going through records on the planet's surface. According to military intelligence, Andross is believed to have used that asteroid-sized 'face' ship he loved so much, and he headed up to the moon's surface. He studied the design, then came back to Sauria, stole the Force Stones to use them for … whatever reasons he needed, and activated the setting that pushes the planet apart, but he left the planetary arks tethered around the core. He was the only one who figured out the exact location of that device. That's possibly how-and-why Andrew headed to Miracle."

Falco groaned. "You've got the folder in front of you right now, don't you?"

Peppy lifted it, showing the group a manila envelope with the word 'classified' stamped on the front. "Classic cliché-looking folder – check!"

Fox sighed. "Great. Well, with any luck, the gang and I will have this job wrapped up before you arrive."

"See you in roughly six-and-a-half-hours, Fox, Slippy, Falco, and Krystal. Remember not to blow up the moon _or_ the planet. At least not before I arrive." A pause, then, "Peppy out." Hare's visual disappeared from the video feed.

A little icon showed up over his name, with an 'X' over his image, and a small warning that stated, '_user is in hyperspace and cannot be reached at this time_.'

Krystal cleared her throat. "Well, Fox? We're awaiting your orders."

Falco said, "How about we form an escort pattern around the new carrier, and land it on the surface? No waiting."

Fox shook his head. "No, having it in orbit would give us leverage and defense. It would protect us from Venom attacks, and we would have the option of striking a ground target with bunker busters or a plasma cannon attack from above."

"Fine, that makes sense." Falco shrugged with a snarky smirk. "Let's just get it done."

McCloud nodded in agreement. "I'm willing to wait for Peppy to show up before we head down to the surface." Fox rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then added, "Andrew wouldn't pick that moon by accident. He must have orders from his dead uncle that he recently found or something. We're going to handle this situation quick before Andrew uses that device as a weapon against other planets. But, first, I want to fly a patrol and scan the moon, from orbit, for any signs of Andrew or his people."

Falco cleared his throat with wide eyes. "Wait, you mean the Force Stone Temple contraption? You think it could be weaponized?"

"Yeah. If a tractor beam that powerful was somehow pointed at other worlds, it _might__ be_ capable of pulling other planets out of their orbital tracks. He could wipe out entire worlds that way, then establish Venomian dominance over Lylat. Can't let that happen." Fox raised his tone a little, and said, "Form up on Great Fox. Slippy, let's do an orbital pass to get some landing zone intel, then we'll wait on the carrier for Peppy to arrive."


	4. Getting the Band Back Together

X

Chapter -4-  
_Getting the Band Back Together_

**Peppy Hare's transport shuttle touched down** on the glossy runway deck plates. The shuttle grunted with a hiss of air from the struts beneath the landing rails. The side door opened, and he stepped into the bright lighting above the hanger deck. His eyes immediately went to the luminous blue disc built into the ceiling.

Peppy wore a red uniform out of yester-year, along with his old silver flight jacket, gloves, and matching silver footwear.

Krystal approached him with a soft smile. "The glasses are larger than last time I saw you."

"Along with my goatee beard and decrepit posture. It's good to see you, Krystal – you haven't aged a day since I saw you … last week."

She grinned. "I mean that you look the same as you did the last time you wore that outfit. _Except_ that your glasses are larger."

"And my beard," Peppy added again.

"Yes, the beard is more … becoming of, say, a proud papa." Krystal feigned a thin smile. "I, uh … it reminds me of my father's muzzle beard." She abruptly changed the subject. "Speaking of proud papas, where is your daughter?"

"At home." Peppy studied Krystal's facial expression for a moment.

"I'm … sorry, Peppy. I can't really talk about my father with a battle looming ahead, because it's distracting to me."

"Didn't you once tell me that his name was Marcus?"

Krystal nodded. "Yes. Marcus. Also, I shouldn't ask you to think of your family, either. I was just … I was trying to make small-talk."

"Krystal, it's all right. I know you were trying to change the subject because you miss your folks. Insofar as my wonderful daughter, well, Lucy is taking care of Vivian."

"Would it be rude to ask?"

"Vivian is…" Peppy offered a tired, forced smile, followed by a gentle sigh. "She's not handling old age nearly as well as I am. But, do me a favor and don't tell Fox. I don't want him distracted with that until we're finished with Andrew."

"Then why tell me?"

"Because I know better than to keep things from a telepath."

Krystal's soft smile returned. "Fair enough. Come with me. The boys are upstairs and they're excited to give you the tour. We're staying around the backside of Miracle's orbit to keep our distance from Oikonny. For now, at least. I'll show you to the bridge."

Peppy gestured for her to lead the way. "I see you still have that sparkler on your paw."

Krystal glanced down at the ring on her finger. "I may have to put it somewhere safe if we have to go planet-side to hunt down Oikonny."

"I'm sure Fox will understand."

"He will. But I'll miss wearing it. All the more reason to wrap up this mission and put Oikonny where he belongs – a Cornerian prison."

"That's complicated, actually." Peppy fell into cadence along with her. The two stepped onto the lift and stood side-by-side. "Okay, so, let me explain it this way: Corneria tries to respect the laws of its neighboring planets. Well, on Venom, Andrew isn't a criminal. So, in order for Corneria to hold Andrew as a prisoner, he would _have to be_ a 'prisoner of war,' but there's currently no war between Corneria and Venom. So, Andrew would have to be found guilty of being a war criminal, but _Andrew_ never attacked Corneria, nor did he attack any known civilians during his tenure as the leader of Venom's forces."

Krystal frowned. "He attacked the Space Dynamics facility, earlier."

"No one died in the attack, so there is no war crime, just a trespassing crime, and the crime of threatening a moon in what he believed to be self-defense. And, now, Andrew is publicly claiming that Space Dynamics is making _weapons of war_ for a war that isn't currently official. So, it could stand to reason that he was attacking a facility that _could be making weapons_ to be used against Venom. Preemptive attack, yes, but not enough to label him as a 'war criminal.' Corneria will investigate and learn that Space Dynamics was building a ship for a mercenary squadron, and Oikonny's complaint will be dropped."

"What can Corneria do, legally speaking?"

Peppy looked up at the ceiling of the lift, watching as the interior of the shaft passed by. "I … suppose Corneria _could_ sue for peace. They might try to force Oikonny to sign a peace treaty, so that if he attacks in the future, it would be in breach of the treaty."

"I see." Krystal gazed at the shiny reflective surface of the elevator shaft, beyond the lift's forcefield. She stared at her own reflection. The engagement ring dazzled on her left paw, illuminated by the lights set in the lift shaft. Her dark blue flight suit was reminiscent of the one she wore during the Aparoid invasion, but slightly updated to stay current with the latest fashions sweeping Corneria's Capital City.

She lifted her gaze to the emerald-tipped tierra adorning her forehead. Finally, she cut her eyes to Peppy's reflection on the shaft walling. "I'm sorry I asked about Lucy and Vivian. That was none of my business."

Peppy turned to her with a soft shake of his head. "Krystal, we're family. We've been through so much, together, that we're family. You have the right to ask about my blood anytime … for any reason."

"I appreciate that sentiment but … I have never understood how people, who fight together, can consider themselves family stronger than blood…"

"Because the blood of the covenant is, sometimes, thicker than the water of the womb. That's the saying, anyhow. People who had their bonds forged in the pits and trenches of literal hell, and who trust one another to defend one another in combat … well, they share something that blood cousins and siblings can never understand. So, yes, you're family."

"But … how?"

"The same way two spouses are a family, even though they were born to different parents."

"Ah. I … can understand that. I fought alongside Fox on Sauria and the Aparoid home-world during that campaign, and I knew he had my back. I trusted myself to feel safe at his side during those missions. After that, I felt closer to him than ever before."

"See?" Peppy gave her shoulder a firm pat. "That's family. This team is a family. It always has been. Its bonds grow stronger with every fight we survive together. So far, every battle has been a victory, and … maybe I'm a sentimental old man, but I see you as a stepdaughter, just the way I see Fox as a stepson."

Krystal looked away and dabbed at her eyes with the backside of her left thumb. "That was really rather sweet, Peppy. Lucy and Vivian are lucky to have you in their lives. I hope your residential family never begrudges you your time spent with this one."

"This is my work family. That's my home family. Both respect the other. I've been a lucky man to have two families."

"Well, let's go see your stepsons. Or … in-laws. Whichever." She grinned.

The elevator slowed to a stop and its lift-gate opened.

Falco, Fox, and Slippy looked up from where they stood around a holographic table depicting the lunar surface of Miracle, at the rear center of the bridge.

Peppy grinned. "Time to go and greet all my sons. Y'know, the lapine race is supposed to be known for having tons of kids … Cornerians joke about it all the time. But I only ever sired Lucy. At least I have my sons."

"You may have sired one daughter, but you'll always have two." She leaned up a bit and kissed the side of the elder rabbit's face. "Now, go get those boys whipped into shape, Papa, so we can cash in and put our feet up again."

Peppy's grin broadened into a genuine smile. "Thanks for making me feel like a proud father, Krystal." He stepped off the elevator and opened his arms. "Boys! Up against Andrew Oikonny, armed with a ship and a handful of fighters. This has a familiar feel!"

Slippy was the first to respond. "Yeah, except there are no corny posters on the walls, no pizza boxes or beer cans on the floor, and…"

"It's a new ship," Falco interrupted. "Give it time. We'll have this place looking like home in a Cornerian-minute."

Fox smirked. "Not this one. We got _too_ comfortable in my father's ship…."

Falco scoffed. "Oh, shaddap. We kept it clean after the refit."

Slippy scoffed in reply. "Yeah, because it got crashed into the Aparoid homeworld before you had a chance to junk it up, Falco."

Fox raised his volume to finish his sentence. "…But we moved out of Dad's house and got our own. So! Let's treat it better. All right, everybody?"

Krystal beamed. "Agreed!"

"Aw geeze," Falco grumbled. "Don't kill the fun by playing house, you two. I need a familiar operating space to do my best work."

Fox smirked at his friend. "Feel free to trash your Sky Claw."

"Can I at least trash the Combat Room?" Falco grinned.

Slippy rolled his eyes. "Let's just start with Andrew and see where we go from there. And, for the record, Falco, we're not kids anymore. We can live like men, not like teenagers."

Falco groaned. "Froggie, you're just saying that because you've got a girlfriend, now. Fox got a girlfriend. And Peppy is married, so whatever. Other than Pep, the rest of you are still technically bachelors until you're married. So, stop acting like there's something wrong with bachelorhood. Jeeze."

Krystal opened her mouth but paused. She _wanted_ to warn Falco that his loneliness was symptomatic of his fear of disappointing a woman. She wanted to scold him. She wanted to tell him that he didn't have to be afraid of Katt Monroe, or of being a kept man. She wanted to firmly announce that his behavior was, in no uncertain terms, excusable, and that he had no right to expect his friends to follow the same path … but she couldn't bring herself to admonish his masculinity, especially in front of his peers. Instead, she closed her mouth and folded her hands.

"If you got something to add, sister, then spit it out."

"Just do 'you,' Falco. But don't judge _us_ by _your_ choices, please."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

She sighed softly with a shake of her head. "Be as single as you like, but I'm the last of my race, and I deserve to be loved. Please don't judge me for dating your best friend."

Awkward silence.

Slippy stuck his tongue out at Falco. In a soft voice, he whispered, "She told _you_."

Falco whispered back, "Uh-huh, whatever. I, for one, am happy for her, I just don't want it for myself right now, so _you_ can _shut it_, Froggie."

Fox cleared his throat and turned to the rabbit with a weak smile. "Well, Peppy, you walk onto the bridge and we're back to acting just like the last time you saw us all together. I bet you missed this, didn't you?"

"You bet I did," said Peppy with a wry expression tugging at the corners of his maw. "Now, let's get to work, boys. We charted Sauria, now let's be the first to map Miracle, and then put Andrew Oikonny on trial. Hopefully, he'll be the problem of Cornerian politicians by this time tomorrow, and we'll all be grilling Brahm-beast steaks and knocking back a few pints. Except me – my liver is retired."

Falco chuckled. "I'll drink one for you."

Peppy nodded firmly at the falcon. "Perfect. You do that, Falco."

Fox cleared his throat. "No, you won't, Falco."

Falco groaned. "Look, just because I went to some AA meetings doesn't mean I _have to have my chip_, okay? I can control it, now. I'm not a damn teenager anymore. I was never an alcoholic, I was a dumb kid."

Peppy frowned. "No, Fox is right. I shouldn't have encouraged you."

"Jeeze la'WEEEEZE, you guys!"

Peppy smirked, and said, "Okay, where are we on Andrew's location?"

"Hidden on the other side of the moon," Slippy announced, followed by a soft sigh. "So … now what?"

Peppy approached the table and reached his paw out through the holograph. Because of the emitters above and below the table, the image didn't distort. He feigned a smile. "It's got those new high definition holographic projectors … nice touch." He cut his gaze to Fox and said, "How about you and I go for a walk?"

"Peppy, c'mon…" Fox tilted his head, eyeing the older man. "You can say whatever you have to say in front of everyone else."

"No, no, Fox. I'm not talking about leaving the bridge to have a private conversation. I'm talking about you and me headed down to Miracle's surface – the air is breathable … nearly the same concentration as Papetoon and Katina. Fascinating for such a small chunk of space rock, huh?"

"You want to go down to the surface? Just the two of us?"

"Just the three," said Peppy, gesturing to Krystal. "We'll need a telepath to make sure that no one has spotted us. She'll know if someone is alerted. She'll feel it. My transport shuttle has a cloaking device, which lasts a while."

"How long?" asked Falco.

Peppy said, "Enough to hightail it down to the surface and scout the initial area. We'll scout the area, map the ruins, and decide whether or not we'll need bunker busters … or if we can just surround him and force him to surrender."

Falco crossed his arms over his chest. "Why d'you get all the fun, old man?"

Fox turned to glare at Falco.

Peppy took the wisecrack in stride. "Because, young man, I'm getting paid by a third party to map the surface of Miracle. I can do half of that with topography scans from the ship. I can do the sub-surface scans with a sonic device from the shuttle when we land. The rest will be by handheld scanner sensors, and that has to be done in person. Besides, how will you know where to drop ordinance if we don't have a look through those ruins?"

Falco sighed.

Slippy smirked at Falco, then he cut his gaze to Peppy and Fox. "Should I have a Landmaster on standby just in case you need ground support?"

Peppy smiled at the idea. "Actually, Slippy, that is smart. Fox?"

Fox chuckled. "God, just like old times. Only Slippy is more prepared this time, and Krystal has more field experience than in the past."

Krystal beamed from his praise. She loved feeling useful, and comments like that made her feel proud of her hard work. "Thank you, Fox. I appreciate your encouragement."

Falco grunted. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't end up like Fara Phoenix, or Fox will never forgive himself."

Fox's eyes went cold. He turned to Falco and glowered in silence.

"What, Fox?! Don't even pretend that it's '_too __soon_' to bring her up. That was a _zillion_ years ago. We were eighteen years old. All I'm saying is for Krystal to watch her tail down there, because if she kicks the bucket, you'll shut down again. Then we'll all go broke." He cut his gaze to Krystal, adding, "See? I care – I don't want you to go pushing up pansies … or daisies, or whatever the flower is."

"Enough." Peppy's voice was firm and fatherly. "Falco, Fox doesn't need the reminder. That was the first, and so far, the _only_ person to…" he trailed off, cleared his throat, then continued, "…under his command. Show some empathy."

Falco looked away with a sigh, but he didn't challenge the admonishment.

Peppy turned to Fox again. "That was _not_ your fault. Since becoming acting General, I've learned that she was apparently working for Pepper and moonlighting with Star Fox, so when you sent her out on a patrol…"

Fox lifted his paw to stop Peppy from explaining further. "No. Stop. On this team, we always make sure someone has your back. I should have sent Falco, you, or myself with her. She should have had backup. But she was out there on her own, doing a patrol, and _I'm_ the one that had to apologize to her _father_ for what happened to his only daughter."

Falco grimaced, still looking away from the group. "Damn. I, uh … I remember that. He acted like he knew more about what happened than you."

Fox shook his head with a grunt. "He didn't want to hear my excuses, Falco. The man had just lost his daughter and didn't want to hear excuses from the guy that _didn't_ have what it took to protect his little girl. Look, I'm done talking about that, okay? Zerda Phoenix lost something I'll never understand, so I have no right to even talk about it"

Falco sighed.

"I'm done talking about her." Fox glared at the back of Falco's head. "And if you were anyone else, I'd have decked the shit out of you for even bringing it up."

Falco sighed again. "Look, I'm sorry. My bad, okay?"

Peppy groaned. "God, this has been a sour reunion so far. Let's get our heads out of our tail-holes, boys. We need to get back to brass tacks. We have a job ahead of us!"

"Agreed," Fox said bluntly.

"Agreed," Krystal chimed in.

"Fine by me," Falco said in a monotone voice.

Slippy nodded in agreement with the team. "So, what's the plan, guys? Fox, Krystal, and Peppy going down to the planet?"

Fox nodded at his long-time school-hood friend. "Yeah, Slip. Time to explore some fancy old ruins."

"And make the guy with the money pay," said Peppy with a grin.

Falco rolled his eyes. "Don't even start with that right now. Times have changed."

"Indeed, they have," Peppy replied with a firm nod. "But we're still snappy dressers." He gestured to Falco's black jacket, open button-up-shirt, and denim pants. "You fly in that?"

"I did. I might again." Falco pointed back at Peppy's shin-length silver aviator jacket and old fashion red flight jumpsuit. "You going down to the planet looking like a Holiday Tree?"

"No. I flew a transport shuttle in it. I'll wear something less intrusive for my visit to Miracle."

"Good. Because that's not considered 'snappy' fashion, anymore. Hasn't been for fifteen years." A smug smirk tugged at the corners of the falcon's beak. "Let me know if you boys need me to drop ordinance and I'll do a flyby. In the meantime, I'll get started on decorating my new quarters."

Fox glanced back at Falco. "Since when do _you_ decorate?"

"What? I got shit to put on the walls to make it feel less like a goddamn military ship and more like a mercenary's ship." Falco picked up the poster that was draped across a helm console and carried it off the bridge. "See ya, losers." The elevator doors slid shut behind him and he was gone.

Slippy shook his head. "Boy, he sure left in a hurry after making things awkward."

Krystal frowned. "That's his way of handling stress and anxiety. He realized he touched a nerve, felt awkward, and quickly bowed out."

"Par for the course," said Peppy. "Nothing's changed for that boy, even after all these years."

Fox rolled his eyes and shook his head. "All right. Everyone, get dressed."

Krystal arched her brows. "Fox, we don't have any of our personal belongings on this ship, yet."

Fox cut his gaze to her dark blue body suit. "Oh, yeah. Right, that's true. I'm just used to … well, whatever." He glanced back at Peppy. "You said you're wearing something other than that red jumpsuit, right?"

"Unlike you boys, _I_ packed gear." Peppy's smile broadened a bit, he stole a glance at ROB64 at the other side of the bridge, then looked back at Fox, Krystal, and Slippy. "I might've brought some things for you three, as well. Clothes, toiletries, sock-drawer accoutrements."

Krystal furrowed her brows a bit. "You went through our personal sock drawers?"

"I did … well, sort of. I stopped by the old Great Fox on my way here, I went to each of your quarters, and I raided your dresser drawers, and I packed the contents into duffle bags, zipped them shut, and brought what I thought you'd need. I'm not trying to handle your undies, everybody. I just wanted to make sure I had the right sizes." He cut his gaze to the blue-furred vixen, and said, "I mean, technically, Lucy gathered _your_ things, Krystal. Wasn't sure how long we'd be – so she helped me pack."

Krystal breathed a sigh of relief. "No worries. I literally only keep undergarments in my sock drawer."

Peppy shook his head with a sigh. "Unlike Falco, who keeps _vintage edition_ unsavory reading material in protective plastic sleeves."

Slippy blinked. "But he uses his communicator for that stuff, now. Why would he keep old porno mags?"

Fox chuckled. "Because vintage magazines, unopened, are said to be worth a lot?"

Krystal grimaced. "No, Fox. It's because _Katt Monroe_ did a _centerpiece_."

Everyone's eyes widened.

Krystal frowned. "It was years ago, when she needed money right after the Lylat Wars. Falco keeps it for that. For her."

Peppy cringed. "I … did _not_ know that."

Fox and Slippy both murmured in unison. "Eww…"

Krystal shrugged her shoulders. "As I have occasionally told you boys in the past … telepathy can be a curse at times."

"Awkward," Fox murmured.

Peppy cleared his throat loud to change the subject. "I'm going to change. I suggest the three of you come down to the transport ship and gather your belongings to suit up with whatever you may need. Ship leaves in an hour."

Fox chuckled. "You don't _have_ to change, Pep." He down-nodded at Peppy's attire. "That's fine. It even has plenty of pockets."

Peppy scoffed. "Fine, maybe I will keep this on."

"Good." Fox smirked.

Peppy looked down at his clothes. "It sure feels _snappy_ to me."

Slippy and Fox grinned at their mentor.

Slippy added, "Falco wouldn't know style if it bit him on the ass."

Fox decided now was a good time to act professional again. "I'm taking the new Arwing to escort the transport shuttle. Just in case you need protection." He cut his gaze to Krystal. "You'll go with Peppy?"

She nodded. "I like the new Arwings, but I would rather take John Salt up on his offer to make personalized ships. Those extra Arwings? _You_ fly them, Fox."

"Oh, I will. Trust me. We have enough for me to fly a different one every day of the week." Fox grinned.

Slippy said, "Like having five extra men in reserve before you have to use a continue."

"I … guess." Fox shrugged. He faced Slippy and asked, "You coming down to get your stuff off the transport shuttle?"

"Yeah, then I'm going to look at the _new_ Landmaster. Good luck down on the surface of that moon, gang."

ROB64 waved a metallic hand. "I'll just … stay right here and finish integrating myself into the new ship's systems."

The lift doors opened. The elevator was empty.

ROB murmured, "Don't mind me…"

"Just in time," said Peppy. He picked up a blue feather from the elevator flooring. "Looks like someone isn't a spring-chicken anymore."

ROB added, "…Not that you ever do unless I'm sending you a crate of supplies."

Fox chuckled at Peppy. "_You're_ one to talk, old man."

"Yeah, yeah…" Peppy flashed a spry ole' grin.

Fox, Krystal, Slippy, and Peppy boarded the empty lift. The doors slid shut, and the group headed for the flight deck.

ROB shook his head. "It is my burden to carry this team. I have half a mind to start praying to a deity, so I'd have someone to whom I could complain. But, I doubt anyone is listening…" He turned back to face his station at the helm.

X

X

_Lunar Surface of Miracle_…

**Krystal stepped off the back deck of the transport shuttle**, with Peppy in tow behind her.

She offered a smile to Fox, whose arms were folded while he leaned up against his brand new Arwing II, which sat majestically in the middle of a grassy clearing at the edge of a tree line.

She offered him a flirty smile, quick to notice he was posing for her.

Fox offered her a smile. "Ready, team?" He wore an updated version of his green flight suit, along with something he hadn't used in a while – his old red neck wrap.

Krystal noticed it right away. "Retro look?"

Fox reached up and touched the red fabric around his neck. "For luck," he replied with a wan smile.

Peppy chuckled. "Falco would call you a '_Holiday Tree_.' Heh."

Fox chuckled but continued speaking to Krystal. "I found it packed in the stuff that Peppy brought from my _sock drawer_." He gave a tug at his silver vest jacket. The sleeves had been removed for the mission. "Ready, you two?"

Peppy popped the collar on his silvery long coat. He still wore a red jumpsuit, but it wasn't as bright as the one he used earlier. He wore a yellow ascot and long sleeves.

Fox furrowed his brows at Peppy. "How are you not melting in that?"

"It's cooling fabric. It wicks away the humidity. It also keeps the mosquitos off me, and … what's _that_ look for, Fox? I'm an old man. I don't know if the UV levels are dangerous on this moon – I don't know if the atmosphere magnifies or mitigates it. We don't know anything about this moon, yet. You wear layers, and strip down to whatever is comfortable. That's dressing-for-battle-101."

Krystal wore the same bodysuit from earlier. "I suppose I should've gone with the tribal clothes I fashioned for my visit to Sauria. Fox would've liked that."

Fox bit his lower lip and looked away. "Funny."

"I know." She sauntered by him with a smile, flitting her tail from left to right. "_So_ … this moon has been abandoned for roughly two millennia until the separation of Sauria caused Miracle's atmosphere to return, a few years ago … and just _look_ at all the jungle fauna that has grown over the last couple of years since regaining its atmosphere. No doubt caused by pollen and seeds that came from the part of Sauria that touched this moon's surface. I wonder how it looked before all these plants grew…? It looks like splendid growth rate for only a few years' time."

Peppy withdrew a handheld scanner from his long coat and scanned the immediate area. "None of these plants are more than a few years old. The real question is … how was the lunar soil still fertile after a couple thousand years without any atmosphere?"

Fox shook his head. "Look around, you two. Look at the tall weeds growing up through the cracks in the crumbling streets. See the palm trees growing up through that collapsed building at the edge of the clearing? Plants don't do that in two years. That takes decades. Peppy, if your scanner is right, then there's only one explanation."

Peppy arched his brows. "And that is?"

"Andross was terraforming this moon when he came to Sauria all those years ago. He did something to change the soil, so that the plants would grow rapidly. Whatever he did, he did something to oxidize the air, adding Carbon Dioxide so that it would be breathable to plants _and_ people."

"Well that's genius." Peppy gestured by rolling his paw at the wrist. "Not Andross, but that you figured all of that out."

Fox deadpanned at his childhood mentor. "Remember, Peppy? Andross did the same for the Venom surface in some areas."

Krystal said, "No, Fox, he's right. Your quick deduction was rather brilliant. He's not being cheeky."

Fox feigned a smile, loving her complement, but wondering if Peppy was following. He cut his gaze back to Hare, adding, "You remember, Peppy? It's one of the only experiments Andross did that didn't involve weaponizing lifeforms."

Peppy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Andross wanted to try and return Venom to its so-called _former glory_. That's how he bought the lizards' loyalty. Just the same, _most_ of Venom is _still_ a barren wasteland. He was only able to help a few areas."

"Yeah." Fox shook his head. "Well, that's probably because the oceans are acidic. Let's stick together. How far are we from the heart of the ruins?"

"Fifteen minutes by foot," said Peppy. "Tops. I'm still pretty quick in my old age. One good thing about being a rabbit, I guess."

"Peppy, stop." Fox gave the older man a firm pat on the shoulder. "Don't let racist Cornerians 'dog you' for being a rabbit. You don't run away. You don't run in fear. You're not a '_stupid bunny_.' And, yes, I've heard you say that about yourself more than once."

"All right, all right." Peppy offered Fox a wry smile.

Krystal fell into step with Fox and Peppy. She reached behind herself and touched her Cerenian weapon staff, which was telescopically shortened to fit at the small of her back.

Peppy feigned a smile back at her, having seen her out of the corner of his eyes. "Your rod, your staff, it comforts you, huh?"

Krystal nodded. "It does."

Fox followed Peppy into the foliage, which grew up over the ancient road. "He's quoting Cornerian scripture, Krystal. From the Lion born of a Tigress. I never got into religious stuff, myself. Peppy, here, got old … and he started looking at things more religiously, because he's afraid of what comes after getting old. And, I hate to agree with Falco on this, but it's just silly to do that."

Peppy rolled his eyes. "Embracing one's mortality is a part of ageing. You'll get there soon enough."

"Just don't die before you tell me what you promised to tell me."

Peppy grimaced. "You mean about your father?"

"I keep asking you. I've been asking you for years. Eventually you'll tell me."

"Eventually I will," Peppy agreed. "I thought you were going to die, but it seems I have a _little_ more time."

Krystal glanced between the two … the surrogate father and the unofficially adopted son. She licked her lips but said nothing. Instead, she followed them down the overgrown road, shaded by trees roughly five-to-six meters in height, which lined the crumbling road.


	5. Uncharted Miracle

X

Chapter -5-  
_Uncharted Miracle_

**Krystal traced her fingernail** gently over groove lines between the ancient stones of an enormous wall. The mortar flaked away beneath her sharp cyan-painted claws. She made a fist and used her thumb-claw to scrape away any residual grout from beneath her index claw, then she opened her paw wide, inspected her fingernails, and retracted the claws.

She glanced back, over her shoulder, at Peppy and Fox, who were nearby, also exploring the ancient remains of … what could only be described as a 'long-lost civilization.' She turned back to the wall she was checking. "So, team, about these Methuselah-aged Krazoa…"

Fox chuckled. "Methuselah, huh? Good word usage." He knelt in front of some sort of enormous brick doorway, part of the large wall, further down from Krystal.

Peppy cleared his throat. "Methuselah doesn't necessarily mean 'old.' He was an antediluvian, meaning he was pre-Cornerian-Flood age. That makes him a thousand years _older_ than this giant wall … at least that we know of."

Fox smirked at Peppy. "You know what she meant."

Peppy added, "Yes, I did. Still, no excuse for exercising ignorance in the field when studying something of great age." Peppy paused, then he decided to make a joke. "So … the Krazoan millennials that were from the _First_ Millennia, heh."

"Mm, funny…" Krystal pivoted on her heel, facing her team directly. "Well, what do you suppose happened to them?"

Peppy sighed. He had his back to Krystal. "Well, we don't know if they died here, or if they left this moon and headed for the Saurian surface. But I suppose that's one of many questions … if we find bodies, that would be one good indicator. If we _don't_ find any remains, well, then we speculate. But, remember, our mission to find Andrew Oikonny comes first."

Krystal moved further down the wall, checking for any signs of a triggering mechanism. "I understand. Fox and I are here for the mission, you are here to make sure we remain respectful for these ruins."

Peppy nodded firmly. "Exactly. I don't want to answer to the Cornerian Historical Preservation Society. They have loads of clout because the current Prime Minister is a member. Hopefully he wins again this election year, but … that's a discussion for another day."

Krystal shrugged her shoulders. "I can't vote anyhow. Not until I've actually _lived on_ Corneria for more than 5 years. I don't think the Great Fox counts."

Fox sighed in frustration. He turned back to a massive gated area, further down the walking path, where there was an arc on the lower bricks, and part of the wall appeared to be a large doorway. "How does this thing open?! God!" He knelt down on the brick walking path that led to the wall. He got down on all fours and examined markings that disappeared beneath the wall. "Here's my working theory so far: Somehow, Oikonny must've got his shuttle in through a door, here. If he could figure it out, we should be able to, as well."

Peppy shook his head. "Quit complaining and keep searching for the door mechanism, Fox."

Fox withdrew his blaster and pointed it at the wall. He opened fire several times on the large granite wall, but the stones absorbed the energy weapon's discharge.

Krystal glanced over her shoulder again. "Didn't you try that already?"

"Yeah." Fox sighed. "Peppy scanned them and determined…"

Krystal picked up, overtop of Fox, speaking in a Cornerian dialect with a slight drawl, like Peppy. She recited from memory, "…That '_the stones were designed to absorb and channel most types of energy, whether from a blaster or a concussive explosion. These bricks appear to filter the energy, possibly channel it elsewhere, and would likely withstand anything up to a high yield nuclear device_.' Yes. I was listening. So, why keep shooting it?"

"It makes me feel better," he confessed with a sigh. He forced a weak smile, adding, "You did a pretty good impression of Peppy."

Krystal grinned at her fiancé. "Fox, he's standing right there."

Peppy cleared his throat. "Yup. Right here."

"Sorry for being cheeky, Peppy. Go on, it looks like you have a thought you wish to share."

Peppy chuckled. He always found Krystal's personality to be charming. "All right, so … at a glance, the brickwork where the door meets the wall and the footpath, they look practically seamless, right?"

"Right…?" Fox murmured.

Pepper continued. "What if we can find a way to circumvent this front entrance? I mean, if Andrew's inside, there has to be a way for him to breathe – we should head to higher ground, nearby, and see if we can locate a vent or shaft used for breathable air."

Fox snapped his fingers. "Right. Because you don't have a door this big unless there's a matching facility behind it. And for seams to be that tight means that you can't get enough air in for a large building to accommodate a large group of people. That means an HVAC or air shaft. Not bad, Pep." He fidgeted with his blaster in his other paw.

Krystal looked up to a mountainous area just beyond the ruins. "That looks … treacherous at best."

Fox holstered his blaster with a soft grunt of dissatisfaction. "Yeah, it really does. All right, Peppy … Krystal and I could probably climb it, but at your age, no offense, well … you know what I mean."

"Yeah…" Peppy rubbed his chin in thought. "No way I'm just going to sit here and wait for you two to get inside, find your way back through the building, and open the front door for me. We'd be here all night."

Fox rubbed his chin similar to Peppy. He turned to face the large wall. He knelt by a groove marking in the brickwork road, again. McCloud followed the groove to the wall, once more. His gaze lifted to the sky.

"What're you thinking?" asked Peppy.

Krystal grimaced. "He's thinking like a Mercenary."

"Yeah," Fox agreed off-handedly.

"What are you thinking?" Peppy repeated.

Fox stood up and knocked his knuckles against the wall. "Solid, not hollow sounding. Look, what if we use a particle blast from the main guns of the new Great Fox?"

"Fox…" Peppy shook his head with a sigh. "The old ship used a giant plasma cannon. This one has a photon cannon that could leave a crater in this moon deep enough to reach the mantle … in theory."

"Yeah, if you hit soft ground at full power, from lower orbit, I suppose it might." Fox stood up and turned to face his team. "Look, I'm not talking about a full-power blast. Just something strong enough to open this thing. I don't want to destabilize the ruins – just punch a hole in the door. Narrow beam, full focused particle blast to cut through this thing."

Peppy sighed. "As much as I hate to destroy anything Krazoan … I suppose a tight beam blast, just big enough to walk through, might be all right. You'll have to call Slippy to do it – Falco would just bombard the door and call it a day."

Fox nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm counting on Slippy's predilection for math."

Krystal grinned at Fox. "Oo, _predilection_. Nice word usage."

Fox reached up and rubbed the back of his neck with a dry chuckle. "Yeah, thanks."

Krystal cleared her throat. "What about using Slippy's Landmaster to do it?"

Fox shook his head. "Different type of weapon. The Landmaster's energy cannon is designed to hit a target with a massive spread concussive force. It's all about stopping power. There's an attachment to make the shots designed to puncture armor, but we don't have any of that stuff with us, right now, and we don't have the time to send anyone for it. Speaking of attachments, a Landmaster railgun attachment might work, though. In theory."

Peppy shook his head, mirroring Fox. "We don't have any railgun attachments. Those were lost on the old Great Fox, and we never kept any Landmaster attachments on the second-hand Great Fox ship you guys have been using for the last eighteen months."

Fox nodded. "It was closer to two years, I think. Anyway, whatever. It's not an option, right now, anyway, so … back to using the new Great Fox's main guns."

Peppy sighed. "You're talking about a surgeon using a giant laser scalpel from orbit. The math involved in that…"

Fox gestured flippantly with his paw. "Slippy aced all his math classes back in the academy. Look, he's a mechanic, a machinist, _and_ an engineer. Machinists, like surgeons, rely on a steady hand; engineers rely on mathematical perfection, right? Who better to do this than Slippy."

"Fox … are you sure about this?"

"Peppy, trust in the man. His math will be good; ROB will double check his work. I know you still see us as kids, but we're grown-ass-men, now."

Peppy was quick to respond. "I know you're both '_grown-ass-men, now_,' Fox. I trust he can hit an enemy cockpit from orbit, using a computer and a satellite cannon. But hitting a door with just enough energy to punch a hole through a several-millennia-old bunker isn't something I'd suggest. We don't know how deep it is, we don't know the type of materials used, except that it's bricks made from something other than mud."

Fox held his hands outward. He did his best to speak in a somewhat relaxed tone, so as not to raise his voice at Peppy. "Andrew could be in there, right now, breaking the walls down with a sledgehammer, trying to find some sort of ancient Krazoan weapon. Why else come here?"

"Realistically," said Krystal, before clearing her throat, "With all due respect, Andrew is likely here to find something that his uncle left behind. But, also realistically, the likelihood of it being a weapon is … well, very good, is it not? Why else abscond to Sauria's moon?"

Fox pointed at Krystal but kept his eyes on Peppy. "What she said. I'm going to call Slippy on the radio. We should all get back about a thousand feet and take cover."

Peppy nodded with a reluctant sigh. "You're the team leader, Fox."

"And I'm a mercenary. I feel bad about causing damage to something so old, but if we don't secure the site, there might not be _anything_ for anthropologists to study. So, I'll try and be minimal with the damages, all right?"

Peppy lifted his hands as if to gesture '_say no more_' in silence.

Fox called Slippy on his communicator, opening a video feed channel on his computerized gauntlet. Slippy's floating head appeared just above the gauntlet.

"_Hey'a Fox! Wow! The resolution is so much better on the holographic emitters on this new ship_!"

"Slippy, lock in on my location. There's a wall I'm going to holo-mark. I want you to fire a low power beam on that spot. Do a full second controlled burst at about twenty percent power."

"_Twenty percent of the main guns? That's a _lot_ of power, Fox_."

"Yeah. Just focus a narrow beam at about two meters wide; give it a full one-second burst. I'm uploading the digital marker now." Fox pointed his wrist at the wall, pressed a button with a faded label reading '_select/enter_,' then he angled his arm again, so that Slippy's image floated above his left paw once more. "Give me a sec to get away from the area…"

The trio walked back the way they came. Fox grinned at Krystal. "Abscond, huh? Fancy word. You're learning words even I don't use often. Pretty impressive for only being in Lylat a few years."

Krystal smiled. "Cerinia had its share of five-and-six syllable words. I like large words. They sound fancy. But I try not to throw them into people's faces."

"Yeah, probably for the best. The average person would feel like you're talking down to them. All right, hon, over there. Keep Peppy safe."

Krystal replied with a wry smirk. "I'll endeavor to do my best."

Peppy and Krystal stopped at around nine hundred feet away. Meanwhile, Fox stopped only four hundred feet from the wall.

"Try it now," said Fox.

A slight wave of distortion appeared from above. The pulsation of energy hit the bricks, leaving a hole in the giant wall."

"One-one-thousand," Fox said aloud.

After a full second, the energy beam stopped.

Fox gestured to Krystal and Peppy to hold fast. He walked to the wall and investigated the hole. His eyes widened. "Whoa. It went through the outer façade, but there's some sort of barrier beneath. Okay, five seconds at twice the power."

"_Seriously_?" Slippy sounded impressed yet horrified.

Fox walked away and said, "Hit it."

The distorted beam caused the air to crackle from heat. A thunder-like boom caused Fox and company to hold their ears. The wave of heat caused Krystal's braided bangs to sway back and forth over her cheeks.

"One-one-thousand, two-one-thousand, three-one-thousand, four-one-thousand, five-one-thousand."

Peppy released his ears and narrowed his gaze. "Should I check it?"

Fox shook his head and spoke a bit louder than he intended. "I got it."

Krystal remained silent.

Fox sprinted over to the enormous wall and squinted. His eyes widened and brows furrowed in shock. "What?!"

Slippy's voice was tinny over the small gauntlet speaker. "_Fox? What's wrong_?"

"Whatever is in that hole is glowing … maybe some sort of metal? It's not even bubbling – it's literally just a faint glow."

"_Seriously_?" Slippy sounded more impressed than shocked.

"Yeah! Seriously! Get us in this thing, Slip. Same spot." Fox dashed back toward Krystal and Peppy. "Okay, hit it twice as long with twenty-five percent _more_ power than the last setting."

"You got it! Firing in three, two, one…"

Fox, Peppy, and Krystal covered their ears and averted their eyes.

A plasmatic-laced photon beam ripped through the air, bright and hot. It lasted ten full seconds.

Krystal, facing away, felt the heat on her back. She squinted at her wrists, in front of her face, and saw the fur of her pelt stand on end from static electricity.

A clap of thunder roared through the area, tapering off into a distant rumble.

A soft rain fell from the sky.

Fox looked up, grimaced, and hurried back to the door. "You set off a rain cloud with that energy blast, Slippy."

"_Yeah, we were in the range of lightning discharges with the second shot, and now we're amped up more. A lightning bolt can get up to fifty thousand degrees – more than five times hotter than the surface of Solar, and it can strike with a billion volts of energy. Well, that plasma__-backed photon__ discharge was about two-and-a-half billion volts, and I'd guesstimate about seventy thousand degrees using Papetoon imperial standard_."

Peppy scoffed. "Use Cornerian Metric."

Slippy's shoulders briefly became displayed adjacent to his jawline in the holographic display from the way he shrugged. "_I know it's easier for math, but I grew up with Imperial Standard. So … whatever_."

Peppy shook his head. "Embrace change."

Slippy sighed. "_Embrace moving on from this topic__. Don't be a boomer_."

Fox grinned.

Krystal covered her muzzle.

Peppy shook his head again. "Fine, whatever. Don't be a baby boomer. You boys know what? My generation invented the goddamn Arwing. Just saying. So…" he cut his gaze to McCloud. "Did we get in?"

Fox hurried up the path to the enormous wall of the ancient ruins and approached the hole in the brickwork. "Oh. My. Goddess. Are you serious?"

Slippy chuckled. "_The Krazoa sure knew how to build a wall_."

"Yeah, no kidding." Fox grimaced. "Hit it with a focused narrow beam, full power for ten seconds."

"_Full power_?"

"As full as you can get for a narrow beam."

"_Okay, move away from the wall. All of you. __A lot further__ than before_."

"Copy that, Slippy." Fox gestured with his arms for Peppy and Krystal to hurry further down the path. He followed them. A moment later, he said, "Let'er rip, Slip."

A mighty beam came down from the sky and hit the wall. It lasted eleven seconds.

"_Okay, Fox! Check it now_!"

Fox hurried back up the path. The hole in the wall was bigger than before … roughly three meters.

There was a small hole through the dark metallic layer beneath the brickwork, about one meter in diameter.

Fox frowned. "Well…"

"_Still no dice_?!" Slippy exclaimed.

"No, it definitely worked. But the hole is pretty small. Big enough to get through, but only if we _squeeze_. One sec." Fox held his gauntlet in the hole and said, "Initialize an interior scan."

"_Sure thing, Fox_!" Slippy paused, then said, "_Okay, I'm getting something on my end … _whoa."

"Whoa?"

"_Yeah, Fox. Whoa. __Looks like we've punched our way into__ a _massive_ bunker … maybe a hanger deck of some sort. The interior wall has some sort of metal-like channels on the surface … probably to channel the energy away from energy weapons_…"

"I need to get in there when it cools down," said Fox, mostly to himself.

"_The surface channels have already caused the heat to dissipate. On my end, it looks to me like the surface temperature is already down to about the same as body heat. Double checking_…" Slippy trailed off, briefly, then said, "_Yeah, it's safe to pass through already. Pretty impressive for a __full photonic __plasma cannon blast. Maybe it really is a hanger and it's designed to contain fire or explosions without getting hot, or __… __something. I don't know_."

"Okay, okay, Slip. I'll call you right back."

"_Keep your gauntlet scanners on, F-F-Fox, so we can map this place and try to better understand it_."

Fox backed out of the video feed on his gauntlet. He checked the charge level indicator. "Okay, I'm still at full battery … I guess I can do that. Fox out." He ended the call and thumbed a 'hold' command on the sensor display.

Krystal and Peppy cautiously moved forward in Fox's direction from down the path.

Fox turned his head and shouted back at Peppy and Krystal. "We're in! C'mon!"

Slippy said, "_Stay safe, gang_!" The gauntlet chirped softly to denote the end of the holo-call.

Fox spit on the hole in the side of the wall. It didn't sizzle. He licked his velvet-padded index and touched the siding. It was surprisingly cool to the touch. He took off his backpack and tossed it through the hole. It thudded on the floor somewhere inside.

McCloud put his paws on the top of the hole, and kicked his feet through, diving in feet first. He dropped to his feet, and briefly staggered, but managed to keep his balance.

Fox switched on a light on his gauntlet and pointed it at the floor.

There was a hole in the deck, made at an angle, that came from the Great Fox.

Fox called out through the hole, "Hey! Just be careful coming in!"

Krystal came through first. She slid on her back, riding her staff, so that she avoided touching the sides of the hole. She was followed by Peppy.

The aging rabbit placed his jacket over the bottom of the hole, struggled through the hole in the wall, and after squeezing through, he picked his jacket up and pulled it onto himself. "You'd think this area would be hotter, but I guess moons don't retain heat quite the same way as a big ole' planet."

"Guess not," Fox replied. "Okay, I have a bundle of flares in my backpack. He knelt down beside it, opened one of the sections, and withdrew the bounded bundle. "Time to explore." He shouldered the bag and plucked the first flare from the large group of light sticks.

The first flair ignited; he tossed it on the floor, casting a section of the enormous room in a soft yellowish glow.

Krystal glanced around in the dark, unable to sense anything in the immediate area. "Bit of a damp squib, here, isn't it?"

Fox walked for a few meters and dropped another flare. "Yeah, it's dead as a doornail all right. And big. Can't even see walls, except the light from the entrance point. How big is this place?"

Peppy lifted a single ear-stalk. "Big enough that the echo is faint in all directions, because the sound waves don't travel well enough to bounce off the hard surfaces."

Fox grimaced. He brought a single paw up to his ear and shouted, "Oikonny!"

The exclamation reverberated off of several surfaces, trampling one another, so that his voice became a muddled mess of multiple echoes, competing with each other.

Krystal grimaced. "Nice one, love." She took the bundle of flares from Fox, and, without a word, she assumed the task of making a trail on the floor of the enormous room.

Fox pointed his gauntlet forward, but the light didn't reflect off anything in the distance. "Possibly matte walls – they won't reflect the light until we're closer to them." He looked back, over his shoulder, at the small glow of sunlight from the entrance hole they'd crawled through.

Peppy cleared his throat. "The Krazoa would've needed to have modern power and lighting to light up a room this massive, no doubt about it."

Krystal withdrew her staff. It telescopically extended to its full length. She fired off a globe of hot fire, which flew off into the distance. Some ways out, it succumbed to gravity and arced downward, until it hit the ground, somewhere on the other end of the enormous dark room.

Fox let off a low whistle, impressed by the size of the room. "There has to be pillars or some sort of support columns to keep the ceiling up for over two thousand years…"

Peppy lifted a long tall ear-stalk, again, and turned slowly in a circle. "Hello…" He drew the word out long and slow as he turned. He completed a full circle and turned back to Fox. "At a normal volume, I don't hear my echoes in any direction. If there are load-bearing columns, they're not very close. But, you're right … this room would be supporting the weight of the mountain above it – it would need to have some sort of pillars."

Fox grimaced. "Let's look at the bright side of things … this room isn't full of enemy vehicles. It's as empty as our provisions chest."

Peppy sighed. "Fox, you're forgetting that I'm a professional."

Krystal turned to the rabbit, barely able to see his face in the ambient light of Fox's gauntlet torch. "You brought food on your transport ship?"

"Of course. Falco is probably complaining as we speak. Why do you think I waited an hour before we left? I had to unload the pallet of food I brought with me. I had ROB64 wheel it to the galley, and left Falco instructions to separate the perishables from the nonperishables, then catalogue and store everything.

Fox chuckled. "Did you bring anything for us on the transport shuttle?"

"Uh, did I not just say I'm a professional? Of _course_ I did. Enough food for the three of us to last a week." Peppy grinned.

Fox's natural vulpine night vision caused his pupils to dilate to full large circles. He activated a green laser light on his gauntlet and pointed it straight up in the air. He squinted, able to make out the distant dot high above. It was tiny but bright.

Krystal looked up. "That's … quite high."

Peppy squinted, followed by a shrug. "I can't even see it. I still have my distance sight, but I don't see as well as a fox or a cat. Certainly not as far with a tiny dot."

Fox touched the top of his computerized gauntlet and said, "Calculate distance."

"_Working_," the gauntlet replied in a monotone voice. "_Nine hundred ninety-seven-and-one-half meters_."

Fox blinked. He lowered his arm, causing the green laser dot to point at his shoe. "I'm less than two meters tall. And with my arm pointed upward…"

Peppy finished Fox's thought out loud. "This room is exactly one kilometer high."

"That's more than half a mile," Fox said in astonishment. "A little over thirty-two hundred feet. Why did the Krazoa need such a large room?"

Krystal un-extended her staff and put it back into a sheath on her back. "Perhaps they designed this room to house a large spacecraft? It would explain the lack of pillar supports – they would have had to design the walls and ceiling differently so that they could house a large spacecraft … that makes the most sense to me."

Fox rubbed his chin and pointed his gauntlet laser toward the entrance wall. He touched the screen on his gauntlet and said, "Calculate distance, and add a second distance." He pivoted and pointed the gauntlet the other direction. "Calculate second distance and add it to the first. Compensate for arm length of user. Approximate final distance calculation."

"_One-point-five kilometers_."

Fox grimaced. "Just shy of a mile." He cleared his throat and said, "Length of room in feet, please."

"_Four thousand nine hundred twenty-one and one-quarter feet_."

Fox shook his head. "Okay, so we know the Krazoa used a measurement system similar to metric. That's … something you can document in your anthropology studies of the race, Peppy."

Peppy smirked. "Noted, Fox."

"Good to know," said Krystal. "Cerinian measurement was unlike both imperial and metric. But metric was easier for me to learn because it made more sense than my race's measurement preference."

Peppy turned to Krystal. "It is easier than Cerinian measurements?"

"Yes, it is."

Fox cleared his throat. "Krystal, your race was a little more advanced than ours, though."

"Was it?" Krystal shrugged somewhat. "Your faster-than-light drives and the technology used to send the old Great Fox to the Aparoid system is quite impressive. It can be used more than once. When I came to Lylat, Sauria was the closest habitable planet, and just out of range of my shuttle's jump-drive. Once I arrived in Sauria's path, I had to travel at top speed until I reached an intersecting point with Sauria's orbital path. I used nearly all of my reserve fuel to arrive on Sauria by charting a course in front of its path. I was lucky I had enough fuel left over to take off and land on Great Fox after meeting you."

Peppy glanced at Krystal, squinting at her in the dim lighting of Fox's gauntlet, which was pointed at the floor again. "Krystal," said the aging rabbit, "How far was Cerinia from Lylat compared to the distance from Lylat to the Aparoid system?"

"The Aparoid system is … was … roughly ten times further away. So far away that my race didn't know about the Aparoid system. The only other habitable planet in range of Cerinia was … is … a planet called 'Kew.' They're advanced enough to have trade with Cerinia on a handful of occasions, but they didn't have reliable interstellar travel technology yet. If you were to chart Lylat's star, Cerinia's Sól, and Kew's star, Sunna, the three systems would create an almost perfect triangle. Kew would have been easier than Lylat, but Andross fled toward Lylat, and I demanded answers. I thought I was going to die, so I gambled with my life for my need for answers."

Peppy activated a light on his own gauntlet and pointed it forward. "Krystal, why didn't your people ever interact with Lylat in the past?"

"Because your race was known to have weapons of mass destruction. We simply … avoided your kind. But, when Andross arrived on our doorstep, so to speak, he was piloting a ship armed only enough to defend itself from minor threats. And, his weapons appeared to have been cannibalized to make repairs to his other systems. We took pity on him. He freely offered up his computer data records, and we soon learned that he had been studying the ruins of the Krazoa."

"That was important?" asked Peppy.

"It was," said Krystal. "Their race also existed on a planet from my home system. They were extinct. When my world became doomed due to Andross' creation of a biological weapon on our home star, Sól, I was already in my shuttle at the time our star died. I charted a pursuit course to follow Andross, who departed Cerinia just days earlier. When I arrived on Sauria, I crossed paths with Andross and recognized him immediately."

Peppy blinked. "Did you know he was the one that doomed your world?"

"I … had my suspicions. I sensed a hint of guilt from him, but he was wearing a device that blocked my telepathic ability. I barely got a word off to him, and he suddenly _threw me_ into a trap that imprisoned me."

Fox frowned. "What, uh … what'd you say to him?"

"I … think I said something akin to, '_You!_' before he threw me into a reverse tractor beam. It blasted me into that … crystalline structure, which imprisoned me until you came along, Fox. It was designed to shut down my metabolic rate to a near-state of hibernation. I suppose Andross didn't want me to escape."

Fox frowned. "It also meant he didn't have to worry about feeding you, or providing restroom facilities."

Krystal shrugged her shoulders. "I believe the prison was initially intended for _you_, Fox. I just … got there first. He only had the one prison. If you'd arrived sooner, it would have been _me_ rescuing _you_."

Peppy grinned. He turned to Fox with a chuckle. "Things would've been very different, huh?"

Fox smirked. "My team would have rescued me. I'm sure of that."

"Rubbish," said Krystal with a grin.

"Would we?" Peppy said with a chuckle. "I was already old, Slippy hadn't flown in ages, and Falco wasn't part of the team at the time."

Fox sighed. "Yeah, true."

Krystal gave her betrothed a firm pat on the shoulder. "You're cute, Fox. I'd have rescued you." She grinned at him with a playful wink. "Now, let's go find Andrew and stop wasting time."

Peppy chuckled again, facing Fox. "You heard the lady, McCloud. Get moving."

"Jeeze."

Peppy turned to Krystal followed by a bright smile. "The only person that could tell James McCloud what to do was Vixy. It's good to see that Fox has someone in his life that he answers to. A man needs that in his life to keep him grounded. Even pilots."

Krystal gave Fox's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "_Especially_ pilots, isn't that right, love?" She slid her paw forward, over his shoulder, so that the ring on her left finger was directly in front of his face.

"Yup. Whatever princess wants, princess gets."

Krystal laughed softly. "I've been a princess my entire life, Fox. I'm ready for you to make me a queen. No, rush, though … whenever you're ready. But don't take forever. I'm only mortal after all."

Peppy clapped his paws together, completely amused. "Vivian would really like you, Krystal. Y'know that?"

Krystal turned to Peppy and hugged him. "We'll get you home to her as soon as possible. I know you miss her, and I know it cannot be easy to see her sick. I'll make sure Fox goes to visit her, too."

Peppy whispered against the side of her head. "Thanks, kiddo. I appreciate that and I know she will, too."

Fox unholstered his sidearm and switched the light function from his gauntlet to his weapon. "All right, let's get started."

"Down to business," Peppy replied.

"Right behind you, Fox," Krystal chimed in. She unholstered a blaster and switched on its flashlight accessory. "Peppy, are you excited to chart Miracle?"

"I, uh … yeah. Yup. Sure am." Then, in a more personal tone, he said, "Thanks Krystal."

She smiled knowingly. "All right, so, you have the charting equipment. Let's see what we're dealing with in this room, shall we?"

"We shall," Peppy replied. He reached into his jacket pocket and unrolled what looked like old fashion paper, but it was plasticky and sounded like unrolling a small poster.

The unfurled object lit up, dimly, and displayed Cornerian standard lettering, which read, '_Pairing to sensor device P1J2H3_SpaceDynamics_Model7_SmartWrapSilver_.'

Peppy held his left forearm aloft. The nearly transparent sheet of paper displayed, '_Pairing successful_!' Next, Peppy lowered his left arm, held the flimsy partially-rolled paper in both paws, and navigated to a map application. He created a 'new map' and displayed it from the sensors built into the bracer on his left arm.

An image of a large square room displayed on his AOLED tablet, as if it was a thin lowing map page.

Objects populated on the map, showing Fox, Krystal, and Peppy's locations, and a large square room.

Peppy pinch zoomed back a little on the plastic page. "Okay, we have the opening we made, and we have doorways at the far end on the north and west walls.

Fox nodded firmly. "All right. Let's investigate those doorways and see what we're dealing with." Fox glanced back at Krystal.

She had her staff on her back, her blaster in her right paw, and the bundle of flairs tethered to her gear belt along her back. She used her left paw to reach back and pluck one off her belt one at a time, occasionally dropping them after cracking them against her hip.

Krystal tossed a flair up ahead of them. It bounced on the ground and brightened, casting a soft orangish-pink glow, a little different than the yellow setting that Fox had been using. She brought her left paw beneath the handle of her blaster pistol and kept it pointed forward.

The group walked for about eight minutes until reaching the north wall.

They approached what looked like a wide doorway with a rolling metal door partially closed.

Peppy stepped off to the side to let Krystal and Fox work.

Krystal lowered to one knee, placed her left paw against the bottom of the door, which was only half-way closed, so that there was a meter gap open between the door and the ground. She pointed her weapon down the hallway on the other side of the doorway and squinted into the darkness.

"Anything?" Fox whispered.

Krystal waved her flashlight attachment from left to right, sweeping the hall. "Nothing. Just a very wide hallway … large enough for moving equipment, likely from the garage to the car park."

Peppy rubbed his chin in thought. "The _west_ doorway appears to be a bit smaller than this doorway."

"That's the one," said Fox. "Wide hallways are used for putting small craft into storage, or for carts of parts. I want to find a command center, not a mechanic bay."

Peppy feigned a wrinkled smile, glad his godson got the hint.

Krystal stood up and inspected her paw. The dust on her palm, from touching the ancient half-closed rolling door, was thick and speckled with flecks of rust. "I doubt Andrew came through this ingress. Or Andross for that matter. There is a lot of dust." She brushed off her palm on the knee of her flight suit.

Fox tilted his head. "You think we're the first here?" He pursed his lips and sighed softly through his nose.

"Don't sound so disappointed," Krystal replied flatly. "We still get to muck about in all this rubbish." She lifted a handheld scanner and scanned the immediate area for any signs of mildew, mold, or other airborne toxins. The scanner showed no signs for concern. "Least there's no tosh in the air. Should've checked before we came in. Next time, then, I hope?"

"Yeah, I guess that would've been protocol."

Peppy chuckled. "Krystal, it was the first thing I checked when I came in. If there was a problem, I would have said something."

"Oh, good. Good to see one of us followed proper protocol, then." A very slight grin tugged at Krystal's muzzle. "Me, though, I'm just chuffed I won't be dodging blaster fire in the dark."

Fox nodded. "All right, then. Let's get our bearings. We'll figure out where to find Andrew once we know where we're at. Let's move. Peppy, how far down is the west door?"

"Less than ten meters."

Fox nodded again and took point. He pointed his weapon forward, seeing the door along the western wall, up ahead. He lifted his weapon a bit. "Man, that's a _tall_ doorway."

Peppy nodded in agreement, although his nod went unseen in the darkness. "It always astonishes me to be reminded just how _tall_ the Krazoa stood."

Krystal feigned a weak smile. "When I was possessed by one of the Krazoa spirits, her first conscious thought, when inside my mind, was astonishment at how short _we_ stand. Even kneeling, they would be taller than we stand. She also found my outfit to be a bit revealing."

Peppy looked back down at his map sheet with a wry grin. "I bet circus performers, walking on stilts, would know how it feels to be that tall. All right, according to my scans, there are still no biological signs in the immediate area. Not even feral creatures are showing up on the map."

Fox grinned at Krystal. "The Krazoa spirit didn't like your sexy Tarzan outfit?"

"Nope. I liked it well enough."

"Yeah, me too." Fox offered a lame grin in the dark.

Krystal used the light of her handheld scanner to gesture to her catsuit-like flight outfit. "Of course, it's not as posh as this bit." She stowed her scanner and aimed her blaster's flashlight at the floor.

Fox relaxed his posture somewhat, looking down at the floor of the large main room they just walked through. "I just had a thought, gang. The door that Krystal touched was covered in dust and a little bit of rust. So, why's the floor of the main room so … clean?"

Peppy and Krystal looked at one another in the gloom. The shrugged in unison.

Peppy glanced at his own wrist gauntlet computer. "Like Krystal and I were saying, Fox, this bunker should be deadly from all the mold and mildew. Thousands of years' worth. It should be fatally dangerous. But I have nothing, here. Low residue … enough to cause a sniffly nose if we stay here too long. But, you're right, Fox. Why _is_ this larger section so clean?"

"I don't have an answer to that." Fox frowned and led his team to the doorway on the western wall. "Okay, I've got stairs. A doorway, but no door." He stepped into the doorway and pointed his flashlight accessory upward. "Wait … there's a door. Looks like it's designed to slide shut from above, but it's probably been open for a couple millennia. I doubt it operates anymore."

Krystal pointed her blaster and light at the nearest walls, then at the floor again. "The doorway isn't quite so dirty as the other. The stairs seem to be clean as well. Well, clean considering their age."

Peppy nodded firmly in agreement. "Someone swept or employed a maid bot. This moon went a few thousand years without an atmosphere. The dust wouldn't float in here, but during the daytime, radiation from Lylat and Solar's rays would remove electrons from dust atoms, then at night, the dust would have a negative charge of electrons from solar wind. But it wouldn't float. It would only be distributed when local asteroids pulverize the lunar surface from impacts. However, inside a closed area like this, there would be a lack of dust to clean up. But there _should_ at least be mold or mildew that came in through the ventilation shafts."

Krystal frowned. "That door back there was quite dusty. It clung to the door where I touched it." A pause, then she said, "Maybe there was a ventilation shaft near that other doorway?"

Peppy rubbed his chin in thought. "That, and maybe disintegration from the way the metal surface was breaking down. But yes, this doorway does seem quite a bit cleaner than that one."

"I did see rust as well," she replied.

Peppy looked up at the bottom of the door lodged in the ceiling above. "And I'm not tall enough to reach up and touch that door to see if it would leave dust on my paw, so…"

Krystal nodded and pointed her light in, through the doorway, at the stairs. "Two questions – how did life grow if this moon's soil was dead for so long? And … will those stairs crumble if we try to ascend them?"

Fox frowned. "A piece of Sauria touched this moon when it came apart, and somehow it left a chunk of jungle here, which grew … no one knows how, but this moon lives up to its name, huh? And, uh, those stairs _look_ safe. I guess." He frowned, adding, "But no handrail. Not very safe for such an advanced species."

Peppy snickered in amusement but said nothing.

Krystal chuckled softly. "I suppose you're right about that, Fox. I don't even see markings on the wall where a rail might have existed, once." She pointed her light up the steps, took a deep breath, and said, "I'm the lightest. I'll go first and let you know if anything feels … strange. Hopefully I don't botch it up."

"_Please_ be careful," Fox told her.

Krystal smiled softly by the sincerity in his tone. "I will."

Peppy remained quiet.

Krystal holstered her sidearm and placed her palms on the walls on either side of the staircase and started a slow ascent.

Seven steps up, the ancient stairs crumbled beneath her. She tensed her arms, bracing herself against the wall. The stairs fell away beneath her, collapsing into some sort of storage closet that was built beneath the staircase. She grit her teeth, exhaled through them, and murmured a soft prayer. Meanwhile, she held her arms outward, locked, to keep herself from falling. She muttered under her breath. "Well, that went all to pot quick."

"Are you all right?" Fox called up to her.

"Just doing pushups against the wall, you know?"

"I mean, how are you looking?"

"As blinding as ever," she replied with a fair bit of sarcasm in her tone. "Which is right impressive, seeing how dark it is up here. Heh. Y'know, I _knew_ that was going to happen. Called it, didn't I?"

Peppy put a paw to his mouth and hollered up to her, "Thanks for taking one for the team. If it was me, I'd have brought the entire staircase down, walls and all."

Fox shined his light into the hole of the staircase, so as not to get it in her eyes. "All right, just … see if you can kick your legs and throw yourself at me. I'll catch you." He handed his blaster to Peppy.

Peppy kept the weapon's light pointed at the empty hole where the stairs used to be. "You've got this, Krystal."

She peered down, over the swell of her bustline, at what appeared to be janitorial equipment mounted to the wall of the closet space beneath her. She held her breath until the dust settled a bit, then she exhaled slowly, lifted her head, and breathed calm and slow. "Fifty dosh says I do something else dangerous before things _really_ go pear-shaped, yeah?"

"Dosh?" asked Peppy.

"An unofficial name for Cerinian currency, Peppy." Krystal took a deep breath through her teeth, so as not to breathe in dust, then she exhaled through her nose. "The opposite of skint."

"Better get used to credits, Krystal, because _I've_ got fifty that says you'll get out of this."

Krystal laughed nervously. "Good to know you believe in me, Peppy!"

Fox asked, "I need you to believe in yourself. You can do this."

"I don't … know how much longer I can hold myself up." She took another deep breath, then added, "Glad I didn't get much further. Just a few…" she trailed off, reminded herself to use a Lylat system of measurement, and, with a soft sigh, said, "…a few feet."

Fox went up to the second step, which was cracked. He knelt down, with his knee propped against the third step, which still appeared solid. He looked down at where the fourth step was starting to crumble. His eyes lifted, and he reached out to her. "Just kick your legs back to me, okay? I'll catch your feet, and we'll go from there."

"Are you staring at my backside?"

"I, uh…" Fox swallowed. "I'm watching you so I can catch you, and not get kicked in the face."

"I'm not offended. Better my dishy fiancé than a stranger." She took a deep breath, slow, through the corner of her mouth. She did so to keep from sucking in the light cloud of dust still rising from beneath her. "All right. _Don't_ drop me. You botch this, and we're both in hot water."

"Keep your paws on the walls," Fox said.

She kicked her legs forward, then back.

Fox caught her legs across his right shoulder and bicep. "Okay! Got you! Now, walk your arms backward. No, wait, don't _walk_ them back… I want you to do little hops. Ready?"

"I think so." She understood what he meant. She tensed up and pushed herself back about a foot and then locked her paws against the walls again. She felt her hip against Fox's shoulder. "Almost there. One more. Ready?"

"Ready," Fox told her. "…Whenever you are."

"Right! Here we go," she replied, and pushed off the wall, backward, again. She slid her hip over Fox's shoulder, and down his back. She wrapped her arms around his chest, and eased herself to the ground, behind him, with a sigh of relief.

Fox turned to her and smiled. "See? No problem."

She embraced him. "Thanks for the save … _again_. You're getting good at this. Meanwhile, I'm looking like a twit, getting into more trouble than Slippy."

Fox grinned. "I, uh … didn't drop you when that giant crystal thing released you, back on Sauria, at the temple. This was a lot easier than that."

"True, but I weigh a bit more with my flight suit on."

Peppy snickered but didn't say anything.

Fox returned the hug, then gave her a gentle pat on her lower back, just above the hilt of her tail. "For the record, Slippy hasn't been flying as much lately, so you can't compare yourself to him. Anyway, we'll have to find another way up."

Peppy cleared his throat. "How about this elevator?"

Fox and Krystal turned to an elevator adjacent to the bottom of the stairs. The tall doors, at first glance, appeared to be flush like a wall. But, at closer glance, they could make out the seam of the double doors.

"I almost lost a pilot because we didn't see an elevator … seriously?"

Krystal chuckled inwardly. "That was easy to miss. Don't beat yourself up over a lift, Fox."

"Yeah, yeah, I guess. I'm surprised Peppy's map didn't pick it up."

"Oh, it did," said Peppy. "But would _you_ want to try a two-thousand-year-old elevator that hasn't been serviced since the time of the Lion-born-of-a-Tigress lived on Corneria?" Peppy returned Fox's blaster.

Fox released a breathy sigh, followed by a shake of his head. He took the pistol into his right paw.

Krystal withdrew her staff and pushed the ovular tip against the door seam. She pushed hard. The staff telescopically extended in her palms, and the tip of the oval pressed the door seam ajar a few centimeters.

She activated the 'blaster' mode, causing the spearhead to open, which forced the door seam apart a little more. She deactivated the blaster mode, pushed the spearhead between the doors, and leveraged them apart.

"Almost got it," she murmured under her breath. "Just a bit more."

Once the doors were slightly more than halfway open, the mechanism that controlled the doors activated, and they slid apart on their own with a grunt.

Krystal turned to Fox and Peppy and did a pretend curtsey, knees bent and ankles crossed. "Ta-da." She grinned, adding, "This is how the Cornerian girls do it, right?"

Fox chuckled. "Yeah. It's kind of … falling out of fashion, though."

"Fair enough." Krystal stood up straight. She put the staff on her back, and it shrank down once more.

Peppy cleared his throat. "Hey, you two … the control panel just lit up. If Andross or his dumb nephew did come through here, maybe it's because one of them repaired this elevator. It must be built out of a more … durable metal than whatever was used to make the staircase."

"I guess," said Fox. "I'll try it first." He eyed the lift platform, withdrew his blaster, and used the flashlight attachment to check the elevator's interior. "So far, it looks good."

Fox stepped onto the platform, and it held.

"Well?" asked Peppy.

"Solid. It didn't even shift from my weight when I stepped onto it."

"Good," said Peppy. "My turn." He stepped onto the lift before Fox could say anything. The lift didn't shift or budge from the added weight. And then, without warning, Peppy jumped once, then a second time.

Fox's eyes widened, but the elevator didn't shift.

"Solid as can be," Peppy announced.

Fox brought a paw to his chest with an exasperated look on his face.

Peppy turned to the vixen and waved her to join. "C'mon, Krystal. Let's see if this illuminated panel still works. We should take one of the bulbs from behind this panel to see if Andross replaced it, or to see if the Krazoa made lightbulbs that last thousands of years. I'm sure Corneria would love to study the tech."

Fox sighed. "You're a little too excited about this."

"I'll retire off this … unless I stay acting General. Haven't decided yet; too bad I can't do both."

"You really haven't decided? You should be the General, Peppy."

"Yeah, well, until I make my up mind, I'm using paid leave to be here with you, by the way. You're welcome."

Fox chuckled. "It's good to do an away mission with you again, after all these years."

"Good! Glad to hear you missed me, Fox." Peppy held his gauntlet up while watching his map start to populate sections of the second floor. "Let's get moving, else we'll have to climb up the shaft. And I'm definitely too old for _that_."

Krystal stepped onto the lift platform. She touched a triangular up-arrow key, and the lift doors slid shut with a thump. "I didn't see a call-button outside on the wall. I wonder if it uses a proximity sensor to open the doors."

Fox shrugged. "I guess the sensor is broken."

The elevator began to rise, slowly.

Peppy shrugged back at Fox, and said, "What if the sensors are designed to work for Krazoa, not for 'animals' or whatever they would have considered our species.

"I guess, maybe…" Fox kept his pistol pointed downward at a forty-five-degree angle. As soon as the doors opened, he pointed the light forward.

They were at the end of a hallway, which went to the right. The stairs came up on the left side of the hall, up ahead, and beyond that, the hallway was dark and rather lengthy. However, the floors were clean enough that there was minimal dust on the ground.

Fox took point again. "On me, you two."

Krystal withdrew her blaster once more. "Right behind you, Fox."

"Big red caboose bringing up the rear," Peppy joked.

Fox replied with a slight grin. "You're a lot less bossy now that you've retired from the team."

"You're not an eighteen-year-old-kid anymore, Fox."

"Fair point," Fox replied. "Teenagers are a handful."

Peppy scoffed. "Try raising _three_ in a treehouse only a _little_ bigger than my first apartment. Not fun."

Krystal grinned at their banter. She stepped off the lift and pointed her blaster's light down the dark foreboding hallway. "Well, there's light dust in this hallway, but no footprints in it. And Andrew's ship isn't downstairs in that large dark bay. At least not according to Peppy's map. That hanger was empty. Or … warehouse. Whatever it was."

Peppy glanced down at his glowing map again. "Maybe Andrew came in through a back door, or an adjacent building; this could very well be a facility comprised of several buildings."

"Whatever the case may be," said Fox, "We need to tread lightly. We're on the second floor and we already know those stairs didn't hold. There might be more weak spots. This place isn't built out of solid granite like the Krazoa Palace. Let's watch our step, team."

"Right," said Krystal.

"Look at you," said Peppy with a chuckle. "Becomin' more like yer dad."

"Uh-huh," Fox murmured. He made his way down the hall, slow and cautious, with his blaster pointed forward. "I can't even see the back wall at the end of this hallway, yet. I keep expecting something to jump out at me."

"There's nothing out there," said Krystal. "Nothing alive at least." She pointed her blasted forward. "And, if the stuff of nightmares pops out? We'll sort it."

Fox nodded and continued slowly up the hall. "I doubt the Krazoa would leave booby-traps. Not their M.O. on Sauria. I haven't seen any so far here, either. I think they relied on heavy fortification … those walls were damn impressive."

"Agreed," said Peppy, "but let's not take anything to chance." He brushed his free paw on the red outfit he was wearing beneath the silver duster jacket. His eyes lowered to the map, watching it populate up ahead on the sheet. "So far nothing out of the ordinary."

Fox nodded again. He stopped in front of an unmarked door on the right side of the hallway and pushed it open with a grunt. It slid on tracks, retreating slowly into the wall. "Storage closet? Or maybe someone's small office once upon a time. Nothing in here."

Krystal opened a door on the left and peered in. "On Sauria, there was a distinct lack of Krazoan lavatories, but … I think _this_ might be one."

Fox and Peppy peered in at what appeared to be tall urinals set into the walls. On the other wall were sink basins fairly high off the ground … roughly shoulder height for the trio.

Peppy chuckled. "Well, it's good to know our races had _that_ in common, at least."

"Yeah, neat," Fox said, pointing his light toward what seemed to be tall stalls, without doors, on the back wall. "Everybody poops."

Krystal rolled her eyes. "For a moment, I almost forgot I was on a mission with two _boys_. Thank you for the reminder."

Peppy chuckled. "Just wait until you're a mom, one day. Fox is right – everybody poops."

"Wonderful, children. That's wonderful." Krystal stepped back into the hallway with Fox and Peppy. "Does anyone have to use the two-thousand-year-old toilet before we continue on?"

"I'm good," said Fox.

"I went before we left the transport ship," Peppy added with a wry grin.

"Right. Moving on, then," she said with a firm nod.

Fox and Peppy grinned at one another but said nothing.

The trio continued on their way up the long dark hallway.

Peppy cleared his throat. "I've got something up ahead." He stole a glance at his map, then lifted his gaze again. "A doorway that opens up into a large trapezoid room."

Fox raised his blaster. He slowed to a cautious approach as he closed on the doorway at the end of the hall. He held his left paw out, and then gestured for Krystal to break left. Once he approached the doorway, he passed through and turned forty-five degrees right.

Krystal came in behind him and turned to the left.

They panned their flashlights around the empty dark room. There were hip-height stations and stools that seemed too low for the Krazoa.

"Fox," she said with wide eyes, "This is a control center of sorts. Look at the layout."

"Who sat in these seats? The Krazoa were too tall…"

"Good question," Krystal replied

Fox approached a large window at the far end, but it was covered in black. He tapped a claw against the surface. "It's glass, why can't we see through it?" He shined his light against the surface, reflecting dim light back at himself. "I mean, over two thousand years is a _long_ time – it's probably just coated in eons of grime. Right?"

"That's not glass," said Peppy. "According to my scanner, it's treated quartz. And, Fox, look closer at the other side of the observation pane … I know my eyes are going when it comes to reading, but I still have my distance vision, thank the piloting gods."

Fox angled his light and peered at something just on the other side of the glass. "Oh. _Oh_. I see, now. It's covered with an armored layer."

"Nice one, Fox. It's shuttered, love."

Fox rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay. Geeze, gang."

Krystal placed her paws firmly on what appeared to be a capacitive glass control panel. The panel lit up, along with multiple other stations around the large trapezoid room. "Nice!"

Ancient lettering showed up in the glass, as though it was an enormous screen. Krystal immediately recognized the letters. "It's Krazoan. I recognize it from our time on Sauria."

Fox rubbed his chin. "Yeah, I think you're right. The font style is different, but I _do_ remember those symbols. I guess they had a unified language the way Cornerian Standard is used on Katina, Papetoon, and most of the other Lylat worlds."

Krystal tapped a painted claw nail against her bottom lip. "Still, these seats are too low for the Krazoa to sit. That's a bit … odd, though, isn't it?"

Peppy walked around the control center with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Mm, I wonder what this facility was used for…"

Krystal spotted a tiny vented hole in the wall above the workstation she somehow activated. She leaned in closer to study the slated vents.

Fox turned to Peppy. "Isn't anyone going to make a comment about a computer system that has been in standby for roughly twenty-two hundred years? If not longer?"

Peppy approached one of the workstations and used his fingertip to manipulate the capacitive touch screen interface. "What's Slippy call these things? GUIs? Gooey? Something like that. Anyhow, maybe he can make sense of it."

Krystal cleared her throat and spoke to the small slated hole in the wall. "Now if we could just get it to…" she changed to her native tongue and spoke again, "…Doan qwan knocht cay es?"

The massive armored section covering the quartz window lifted away like vertical house shudders.

"Oh, my goddess … the bloody blinds opened."

Fox stared at Krystal. "What the heck did you say to it?"

"I asked if it would open the window shades, but I murmured in Cerinian."

"Krystal, that means the computer _understands your language_."

Krystal leaned up to the small vented hole in the wall, above the workstation, and said, "Reh-qwan cay es chay-doh."

All the wording on all the panels around the command center changed from Krazoan to Cerinian.

Krystal's eyes widened. "I told it to change all languages to Cerinian. It _worked_!" She looked down at a readout on the touch screen panel beneath her paws. "The choice of vocabulary is a bit … archaic, and the syntax is kind of weird, but … it's close enough that I can muddle through it." She cleared her throat and told the computer, "Change to Cornerian language?"

The computer displayed wording at the station she was facing.

Peppy peered over her shoulder. "What's that the warning message that just popped up?"

"Oh," she said with a frown. "It says it did not understand the command. I guess it doesn't know Cornerian."

Peppy shrugged. "The language we use as Cornerian Standard was adopted from lots of old languages, and really only came into use within the last four hundred years, after the printing press started standardizing the lexicon. It didn't exist in _any_ way two thousand years ago."

Krystal walked to the window and peered through operations graphics displayed in the glass. She gazed down at what looked like an enormous courtyard below. "It's a bunch of buildings surrounding what looks like … ancient ruins. You lot want to have a look?"

"Ancient ruins?" The aging hare perked. "Older than the stuff on Sauria?"

Krystal glanced at Peppy in the reflection and nodded. "Much older, yes."

Peppy and Fox approached and gazed out through the window at the five other similar-looking buildings that made up the entire complex.

Peppy cut his gaze down to the enormous ruins in the massive courtyard, below. "Well, I'll be. It seems that _these_ buildings were built to surround the ruins."

Fox rubbed his chin. "Why, though? I mean, why do you need five big buildings to surround some ancient building? Maybe the Krazoa built _around_ the ruins, because the ruins were some sort of government protected area, or the ruins might have been turned into a museum. We don't know enough about their culture to assume that these buildings have anything to do with studying the ruins."

Krystal gestured to the enormous window. "The control room faces the ruins." She turned to Fox, took him by the shoulders, and guided him two paces back, then side-nodded toward the large window. The display showed a topical overview of the ruins, and some sort of status update graphic.

Fox scrunched his nose at the wording. "What's it say?"

"Something about '_No production output_' referring to the ruins. It's worded weird, but I guess this was proper Cerinian two thousand years ago. Sure bringins up a lot of questions about how the Krazoa spoke it well enough to make computer systems display in that."

Peppy cut his gaze to her. "The seats are lower than the Krazoa stand. I'm guessing your ancestors worked alongside the Krazoa."

"If I'm ever possessed by one again, I'll be sure to ask it." She lifted her paw and gestured to more wording on the quartz window. "Right, then, so … my initial guess is that the Krazoa learned that these ruins were for production of an energy source, or perhaps some sort of lunar resource. Insofar as theories go?" She shook her head with a shrug. "Perhaps it was ancient Krazoan in nature, or perhaps it belonged to an older alien race. Whichever the case may be, the Krazoan builders of this facility must've figured out how to harness something from those ruins – after learning about the ruins, the Krazoa used them to do whatever it is they were designed to do."

"Speculation," said Peppy. "But I like where your head is at, based on what facts are available thus far."

Fox moved to the window again. He peered down at the ruins, below, covered in bushes, trees, and various forms of greenery. He frowned. "What if Andross discovered whatever it does? What if he left instructions for Andrew to utilize … whatever this place does?"

Peppy shrugged. "Nothing that would win the war, I'm sure."

Fox eyed his godfather. "How do you figure?"

Peppy replied with a wry grin. "Because if it was capable of winning wars, Andross would have used it, already. Either that, or Andrew would have used it as well, _before_ the Aparoid invasion. My guess is that it either makes energy, or it makes something that, down the road, can be used as a weapon, _or_ it produces some sort of finite resource."

Krystal turned to face both Peppy and Fox. She rested her rump against the control panel and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, do we explore the ruins, or do we check the other buildings for Andrew?"

Fox and Peppy rubbed their chins, seemingly in unison, and paused to eye one another, as if considering the two options…

Krystal grinned a bit. "Fox, if you want to split up the team, I call bagsy on exploring."


	6. Better Left Forgotten

X

Chapter -6-  
_Better Left Forgotten_

_Twenty minutes later_…

Peppy, shifted his weight in front of a computer console. He grumbled under his breath about his discomfort. He shifted his aging hips to try and get comfortable on the bare metal remains of an ancient workstation chair. The upholstered cushioning had long, long-since dissolved away.

Peppy held Krystal's translator in his left paw and had his right paw on a touch screen built into the workstation dash. He leaned back against the long silver coat draped over the backrest, where the cushioning had also dissolved away, leaving nothing but a horizontal bar welded to the spine of the backrest.

Krystal paced behind him.

Fox stood in silence, arms crossed over his chest, with his face void of expression.

Peppy continued to type code into a screen on the console. He paused, glanced between the two interfaces, then continued to type on the dusty glass touchscreen. He cleared his throat and said, "Okay, Slippy. I did everything you said. Now what?"

Slippy's voice came over Peppy's communicator, which was Velcroed to the front of Peppy's red uniform. "_Okay, see that blue icon at the top left_?"

"I see it, Slip." Peppy exhaled. The icon looked smaller than it should've been.

"_Choose that. According to Krystal's translator device, it should be a 'settings' menu, or some sort of preferences pane_."

"Not sure why these icons have to be smaller than an electron. It's bad enough the 'X' to get out of photos, in social media, are smaller than a quark on a touch screen device." Peppy lifted his head and arched his back until a soft pop came from his spine. He sighed softly, then hunched over the dash again.

"_Just be glad Krystal compiled this translator program for us. The fact the source code of the translator program is so simple means we can just upload the word list and grammar algorithm code fairly quick_."

Peppy grimaced. "I'm sorry I'm complaining, Slip. I'm the one that wanted to feel useful, and my paws lack callouses, so the screens respond best to my touch."

"_Peppy, you don't have to apologize. It's fine_."

"Well, all right. I just didn't want you to think I was yelling at you. I know I did that, now and then, back in the Papetoon-days."

Fox turned to Krystal and said, "If you're telepathic, and you can sense how to speak the language of another just by being in their vicinity, why put together a translator like this?"

Krystal smirked. "Because I wanted to learn how to speak it fluently, and, more importantly, I needed to learn how to _read_ Cornerian, as well. It took _weeks_ to learn that."

Fox chuckled. "You learned an entire language, fluently, in just a few weeks?"

"I was around you and the team. Total submersion. Not to mention being telepathically networked to your minds – which made it easier to learn vicariously. But … yes."

"How does being around us help you learn our language faster?"

"Because I learned how to speak it and understand it, vicariously, through multiple native speakers, Fox. Furthermore, Lucy was in school, so being around her helped put me in that 'learning' mindset. Then I sat down and watched an afternoon of Cornerian programs for toddlers. That helped me to learn the Cornerian alphabet and syntax, then understand how to put it to use on a screen, so I could learn to read it."

"Still, learning an entire language in a few weeks … that's impressive."

"Being around native speakers, and telepathically sponging it up … helped. A lot. And Cornerian is _much easier_ than Cerinian. For the record, Cornerian makes more sense from the perspective of the speaker … the wording order and phrasings make more sense. The lettering is easier to pick up."

Peppy chuckled. "Cornerian is dumbed-down so that we could all learn how to speak and read it quickly as kids."

Krystal continued. "Cerinian, on the other hand, is a combination of runic overtop of markings. Those markings are combined into groupings, layered, to make short sentences."

Slippy, who could hear the conversation over Peppy's speakerphone, said, "_That sounds mysterious and … oriental_."

"What is … oriental?" asked Krystal. "I didn't learn that word."

Peppy chimed in. "It's an _old_ phrasing to describe things that our ancestors thought to be mysterious. It's an adjective to describe the lands furthest from the Capital City, like, oriental blankets, oriental furniture, but there's no continent of 'orient,' so it can't be used to describe people. However, in the old days, the word became a subculture slander term for a while, then it was forgotten. No one uses it anymore – the term is archaic."

Krystal nodded. "Well, the Cornerian way of using an alphabet was wonderfully easy to pick up and learn. The translator that Slippy helped me to make … it combined data from my ship's computers with Cornerian dictionaries and thesauruses, such and so forth."

Peppy clapped his paws. "Slippy! You did it!" He cleared his throat and turned to Krystal. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you."

"We_ did it, Peppy. Wait, what did we do_?"

Peppy beamed in delight. "It's somehow managed to wirelessly interface with the translator, using that line of code you wrote into this computer. You just interfaced with a two-thousand-year-old computer, Slip! And, look at that, it's displaying everything in Cornerian, now! That's amazing!"

"_Aw, it was nothing, guys_."

Peppy chuckled. "When you put yer mind to it, you're one smart cookie, kiddo."

"_Thanks, Peppy_." Slippy cleared his throat. "_I'm getting a data stream now, which means that the facility has a satellite dish for broadcasting information streams, and … miraculously, it still functions. Great Fox is acting as a station satellite. I see storage drives in our network. Some of them are showing up as damaged or corrupted, but the majority of the storage devices seem to function. I'm … really impressed. Anyway, I'm going to see if I can download everything those computers saved … I'll leave you guys to look for Andrew. Good luck_!"

Fox turned toward Peppy and the communicator Velcroed to his chest, and said, "Thanks again, Slippy. Great work, bud."

"_Thanks, Fox! Slippy – out_!"

Peppy touched the communicator attached to his outfit, ending the call.

Krystal rubbed her palms together. "Now what?"

Fox grinned. "Now we use the sensors to scan the facility for Andrew. Peppy, your job is to map this place from here and try to understand what the Krazoa were studying in those ancient structures outside. Meanwhile, Krystal, you and I will go looking for Andrew as a team."

Peppy eyed his godson. "Why not let the sensors do that job, Fox?"

"Because the technology is two thousand years old. You see these glass screens in these workstations? Half of them are cloudy and don't display anything. You're lucky you found one that still functions properly."

Peppy smirked. "You just want to spend time alone with Krystal. I'm a third wheel."

Fox returned the smirk. "The power cells haven't been operating in two millennia, Peppy. They break down with age. I'm surprise they haven't caught fire already. We need to check the whole place. And, like I said, some of the sensors might not function properly anymore. We need boots on the ground."

"_And_ I'm a third wheel. But, yeah, I understand having boots on the ground. I'm a tactician after all."

"Yup, and _you_ taught me the value of having boots on the ground." Fox turned to Krystal and asked, "You ready?"

A smile tugged at the corners of her muzzle. "You bet I am, Fox."

Fox turned to Peppy and eyed the aging hare. "I know that expression – you just had a thought and you're looking for the right words to spit it out. What's wrong, Peppy?"

Peppy scoffed. "I thought she was the telepathic one." He shook his head with a dry chuckle, followed by a face-fault and a sigh. "Did the Krazoa actually invent a computer capable of running for over two thousand years, without having to reboot, and without code degradation? _Or_ … did Andross find a way to restore these systems? And, if so, then is Andrew aware that we're trying to download these files, and is he tapped into the sensor logs? Hell, what if he can hear everything that we're saying about him right now?"

Fox rubbed his chin for a moment, then, with a slight smile, he shook his head. "You worry too much, Pep. I have a feeling this stuff is original Krazoa tech."

"What makes you think so, Fox?"

"Well…"

Krystal cut her gaze from Fox to Peppy and back to Fox. "Is it because the computer displayed the language in Krazoan?"

"That's part of it," Fox replied. He turned to Peppy and said, "But it's more than that … it's because I was there, on Sauria, knee deep in their technology. That tech worked after the Krazoa were long gone. It all worked the way it was designed to work without a hiccup. The Krazoa Palace. Force Point Temple. It pushed the planet apart and kept an atmosphere around the pieces. Then it pulled the planet back together, as it was apparently designed to do. And thank God it did, or things would have gone very differently. To be honest, Slippy and I have a working theory on why it did that stuff."

"Why it did _what_?" asked Krystal. "Pushing the planet apart like it was somehow a good idea?"

"Yeah, that."

Peppy eyed Fox in silence with an expectant gaze.

Fox shrugged. "Each piece was going to become a livable ship, capable of taking the Krazoa to the ends of the universe. But then their scientists realized that there was sentient life on other Lylat planets, and the disruption of losing Sauria's gravitational force would have messed with the orbital tracks of the other worlds."

"Fox…" Peppy chuckled.

"Yeah?"

"I saw that TV documentary, too."

"Yeah, Pep, but the initial theories came from myself and from Slippy when we were telling the anthropologists what we found, after the Sauria job was over. We both felt that each section of the planet was designed to be a generational spaceship, and they were going to push the planet apart in a way that would send each piece to another system capable of supporting life. Then, they would put their piece of planet into orbit around a habitable planet, and it would become an orbiting satellite. Slippy felt that Miracle could've been what brought the original Krazoan ancestors to Sauria, and that there _might_ be an ancient city on this moon to prove it. So far, Slippy's theory is looking better and better." Fox pointed to the window overlooking the ancient ruins. "He privately asked me to prove him right, y'know, before leaving Great Fox."

Peppy smiled. "I'd like to prove Slippy right, too. But I'm too old to join you down there until you clear out the dangers. So, you two have fun, and I'll coordinate from here."

Fox chuckled. "That was already the plan."

"Oh, I know, but it feels familiar to give you orders. Makes me feel young, again. Like we're back on Papetoon, and I have my boys safe and sound in their bunks."

Fox chuckled again with a shake of his head. He saluted Peppy and clicked his shoes together. "Fox McCloud reporting for duty, sir. Headed out to the mission, fearless leader."

Peppy grinned. "You _never_ did _that_ as a teenager."

"Yeah, and I'll never do it again."

Both Fox and Peppy chuckled.

Finally, McCloud asked, "You have enough supplies? Water and such? I don't know what kind of accommodations this facility has, other than really tall crappers."

"I've squared up, Fox. And I have cots and tents on the transport shuttle, but I doubt I'll need the tent, since this facility isn't overrun with mold and mildew."

She eyed him for a moment. "Square as in naff?"

"Huh?"

Krystal waved her paw. "I guess seeing Cerinian again has be thinking about the old words. Naff means … something that's square. Uncool, I guess, would be a better phrase."

"Oh." Peppy shrugged, adding, "No, I'm _squared up_ on my supplies. As in … I'm good to go. How about you?"

Krystal cut into their conversation with a nod. "Two full days of drinking water, each. More if we're conservative with it."

Peppy grinned at her. "The only thing conservative about Fox is his love for guns and political ideals. When it comes to speeding, when it comes to flying, and when it comes to eating or drinking, he can be quite … _liberal_ with those things."

Fox chuckled. "Hey, now, I consider myself in the middle about a lot of issues. But, yeah, hard work and family values … that's how I was raised."

Peppy feigned a tired smile. "That's because your father and I agreed on that outlook, so I raised you the way he raised you: with a passion for fighting, but with a respect for society and family."

"Oh … I get it now. You said, 'political ideals' … but then calling me 'liberal' saying I had liberal ideals … I get it – you meant I was being liberal with vices. Got it."

"Slow on the draw, kiddo."

Fox scoffed at the rabbit. "No. It's because your dad jokes are rusty, Peppy."

Krystal cleared her throat. "Also, I'm bringing a water testing kit so we can replenish in the field. I hope that's not too progressive for you boys."

Peppy laughed whole-heartedly with a firm shake of his head. "You two are a pair, all right." He shook his head with a grin.

"Fun fact of the day, the Cerinian word for the toilet is _khazi_. So, Peppy, please don't hurt yourself climbing up onto the Krazoan Khazi."

"All right, you two," Peppy said with a chuckle. "It's time to find Andrew and get paid. Then we can chart this moon, so _I_ can get paid."

McCloud furrowed his brows. "Don't you wanna be a full-time general?"

"Maybe. I haven't yet decided. But I can be a General for _you_ … ahem: _get moving, McCloud_!"

Fox laughed and side-nodded toward the back of the room. "C'mon, Krystal. Let's roll."

"Enough faffing around, then? Right behind you, Fox!" She fell into step with McCloud, and they headed down the hallway, back to the lift. She called back to Peppy. "Give us a bell if you spot Andrew, or if you need anything."

"Yeah, yeah," Peppy shouted back down the hall. "Move your tails, kids!"

"Glad the lift works better than the stairs."

Fox chuckled. "Yeah. Me, too."

It was a short ride to the lowest floor, which was beneath the hanger level. The gate raised on the opposite side, and they took a long dark hallway to a door at the end.

Fox spoke into his gauntlet. "Peppy, are you getting the feed from my sensors?"

"_Yeah, Fox_," said Peppy, his voice tinny and thin over the speaker built into the older model gauntlet. "_I see you're headed down a long hall at the lowest level of the facility. Beyond the door in front of you … _should_ be the outside_."

"Should, huh?"

"_Yeah, Fox. It should literally dump you out in front of the ruins_."

"Copy that. Fox out." Fox pushed on the door, but it hadn't budged in a couple thousand years. Fox tried pushing the old fashion style lever bar, followed with a kick, but it didn't budge.

Krystal said nothing.

"Krystal, hold in this bar, and I'll shoulder the door."

Krystal pressed the bar in and stepped off to the side. "Ready, Fox."

Fox took a few steps back, then dashed at the door and slammed his shoulder into it. The door didn't budge.

"As Peppy would say, _just shoot it, Fox_."

Fox chuckled. He took his blaster from the holster, dialed in a setting, and shot out the hinges. He pushed on the door again, but it had been closed for too long, and didn't budge.

"Fox, whatever mold and mildew has grown into the doorframe … it might be nearly fossilized by now. All right, not literally, but my point stands – you'll need to take out the door. Vaporize it."

"That's naff." Fox took a few steps up the hall and Krystal followed.

"Not exactly how it'd be used, but you're not wrong." She stood behind him and waited.

Fox aimed the blaster at the door. A laser mounted pointer showed a faint outline on the door where the blast was expected to hit.

He dialed in settings for a wide burst shot at high power. The laser pointer made an ovular outline over the door and part of the door frame.

Silence.

Fox charged his shot, causing a particle build up to accumulate in front of his weapon. His pupils constricted from the brightness of the energy that amassed in front of the barrel.

He released the trigger. The blowback caused his paw to raise into the air.

Dust and debris glowed in front of them from sunlight beyond. The cloud settled until the doorway was clear.

Sunlight shined on the ground, stopping at Fox's feet. He turned to Krystal with a wry grin. "How was that?"

"Impressive, Fox. I will never underestimate Lylat's penchant for powerful weapons."

"Just what I like to hear." Fox holstered his blaster and walked to the doorway. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the outside lighting, then he held his gauntlet in the empty doorway, where the door used to be. "Okay … sensors don't detect any hostiles out there. That's good. No bio-signs in the immediate area. No plastic, power cells, or other sorts of things that would be used by soldiers. I guess the coast is clear."

"I'm behind you." She drew her blaster and pointed it downward.

Fox led her outside into the sunshine.

Massive ancient ruins loomed majestically over the couple. The lattice sculpting, the brickwork, the paving… it was all breathtaking.

Fox scanned the ground for footprints but didn't see any. He took a moment to check his pack, nodded firmly, and approached the large temple-like gate.

Krystal followed him into what looked like a courtyard. Up ahead, beyond the gates, there stood what looked like a city; various buildings littered a grid of overgrown roads. Most of the overgrowth was long dead, but newer fresh growth came up on either side of the streets, and through empty window frames on the numerous long-forgotten buildings.

Fox's tongue felt dry. "Wow," he whispered in astonishment. "It's ten times more impressive than the Walled City Temple on Sauria. It's more impressive than the Krazoa Palace."

Krystal approached the first building at the edge of the city. She stepped through an empty doorway and froze. "Fox!"

He blinked, surprised by her tone. "What's wrong?"

"Just come see." She stepped further into the building.

He followed her inside and froze.

The two foxes stared at a massive circular portal on the wall. It was solid and dark.

Krystal approached it and placed her padded paws against the large portal. "It's identical to the ones at the top of the Krazoa Palace. The ones that took us to and from different places on the planet."

"Yeah, only it's not working."

"I wonder where it leads?"

"I don't know," Fox said in a reverent tone. "But, uh, this is _proof_ that this city belonged to the Krazoa. At least proof to me."

"Not to mention the facilities just outside of these ruins … the doors and hallways we saw were designed for Krazoa, not to mention the computer's original language."

Fox smirked. "Not to mention the bathrooms."

"Well, yes, the lavatories, too. My mind didn't go there, I suppose. Just the same, why would Krazoans be studying Krazoan ruins?"

Fox approached the ancient portal. He stood adjacent to Krystal and placed his paw against the solid granite surface. "Man, this is weird. I wonder where this one goes to."

"Perhaps there is a way to power it."

Fox nodded. "Good thinking. Let's keep an eye out for it."

Krystal nodded firmly in agreement. "Let's hope that prat, Andrew, doesn't use one to try and escape."

"True. Let's keep moving."

"Let's," she replied.

Fox walked back outside and down the street, toward the heart of the ancient city.

Krystal followed.

Part of the street went in an upward incline. Some of the buildings appeared to have been built into the hillside.

Further up the hill, Fox stopped in front of a boxy structure jutting out of an alley entrance.

Krystal noticed the object, as well, and approached it at the mouth of the alley. She knelt beside the boxy contraption and studied the slats on one side and what appeared to be a fan just beneath a grille at the top. She turned back to Fox and said, "For something so well preserved, with no obvious signs of environmental coverup, no clay, no dirt, no strata… I can't help but feel excited for the anthropologists that will be studying this stuff."

"What do you suppose that object _is_, anyhow?"

Krystal grinned. "Some sort of … twee HVAC unit?"

"I … suppose. I mean, yeah, it sure looks like an AC to me. I guess even the Krazoa would have needed creature comforts."

"God, I wonder what this city was used for. Why have it on a moon? We didn't see ancient homes _or_ modernized homes on Sauria. I wonder if their second moon had a city like this?"

"I don't know," she said with a shrug. She stood up and turned to face him. "I remember when I was possessed by a Krazoa spirit. I remember connecting with it on an emotional and psychological level. I remember how intelligent the spirit was. I remember that he considered using me as nothing more than a vehicle to get to the top of the Krazoa Palace. And I remember assuring the spirit that … _if_ he let me stay in command of my body, I would deliver him of my own volition. I told him that he could trust me to carry out his need because I wanted to help, but if I were to trust him, he would need to take a backseat."

Fox rubbed his chin. "I took quite a few of them to that palace. I wonder if they let me stay in control of my body because you proved trustworthy, so to speak. They didn't make much conversation while I was carrying them around Sauria."

"You're a warrior," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "They were benefactors, they were scientists, they were anything but aggressive. They probably just didn't want to make conversation."

"Still, you showed them that they could trust a host to take them somewhere safe. I kind of wish I got to know what they were like a bit more."

"Mm, the one that possessed me opened up like a book. He was mournful of my experiences with Cerinia, he was respectful of my openness to help the current residents of Sauria, but he was also interested in being ferried to a machine that would allow the surviving members of their race to live in a pocket universe."

Fox turned to Krystal with brows furrowed. "Huh?"

"Stay dishy, Fox. At least you'll always have that."

"Dishy. There's that word again."

"Handsome. Attractive."

"Oh. Well thanks. Wait, _hey_!"

Krystal grinned at him. She continued with her explanation. "They were the surviving members of their race, Fox. They were incorporeal but they survived the demise of their kind. They converted their bodies to energy in order to survive the cataclysm. Most of their race made it to the Krazoa Palace and they were … uploaded to the pocket universe, where their bodies would take the form of matter again. But those remaining Krazoa spirits stayed snookered on Sauria to make sure their race escaped. Andross used them to manipulate the Force Point Temples."

"Good God. So, they used us to get the planet back together, then to leave this universe to be with their kind?"

Krystal nodded firmly. "We reunited them with their people. But, from that dimension, they can still access this one, through the Krazoa Palace. If we ever needed their help again, we can summon them from the palace. The surviving members have been there for yonks, and will remain there until the end of time."

"Man, I was possessed by several, and didn't learn _any_ of that stuff."

"Fox, you're a warrior. They likely just used you for the ride. They sensed your willingness to take them where they wanted to go, and so they didn't make conversation. They just … let you ferry them."

"You never told me this stuff before. Why not?"

Krystal shrugged. "It was a deeply personal experience for me. Something I'll never forget. But they were there for me, and they kept me company in the crystal prison for a time. I learned about you from them. When you rescued me, I already felt like I knew you because of their time possessing you. I … don't know why I never brought it up before now. Sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's fine. You didn't do anything wrong."

Krystal feigned a smile. "So … moving on?"

Fox nodded firmly in reply. "Moving on." He stepped from the alleyway, and continued up the hillside, walking past ancient abandoned buildings, one after the next.

"This city was amazing," she whispered to herself. "Have you ever thought about that time on Sauria? I mean … now that you know more about the Krazoa, would you ever let one possess you, again?"

"I've always wondered why they didn't possess the dinosaurs, there. They're obviously sentient."

"Mm, I don't know. I think that some did at some point – perhaps that's why the dinosaurs were able to communicate as well as they did … because the Krazoa taught them how. Likely only the leadership."

"What makes you think that?"

"They told the Earthwalker tribe to protect the palace, which is why I saw Earthwalkers on site when I visited the palace."

Fox rubbed his chin in thought. "Huh. I don't remember seeing any there. Even Tricky couldn't go there."

"That's because you teleported. Dinosaurs had to climb the mountainside to go there. Only the best and strongest, with the help of Krazoa spirits, could go. But then ones I saw were injured. The tribe warriors were wiped out by Andross; he was armed with a blaster. So, after that, no other dinosaurs were allowed to go, in order to protect their kind. I'm sure they were glad you ended the threat."

Fox frowned. "Oh. Okay. No dinosaurs could use the Warpstone. Got it. It's been a couple of years; I guess I forgot a few little details."

Krystal pointed to a large building up ahead, at the heart of the city. "Fox … is it me, or does _that_ look _exactly_ like the Krazoa Palace, except it's not atop of a tall, narrow mountain – it's at the heart of a city that's built on a tall, _wide_ mountain."

Fox reached into his pocket and withdrew a pair of binoculars. He peered through the high def binox and studied the distant building at the heart of the city. "Jeeze, you're right. It's identical to the Krazoa Palace from what I can see. Let's go investigate."

"Let's," she agreed.


	7. The Krazoa

A/N: _massive chapter. 25k words! Uh, there is a romance scene but I censored out all the adult stuff. Now it is as PG13 as a movie sex scene. I literally took out the sex and wrote in, "They made love." _

_It's FFnet's terms of service rules. Yeah. We have all seen sex on this site, but I decided to make it PG13. The link to the unabridged version is in my bio profile. _

_For those who didn't know, I married FFNet writer "Fara Phoenix418," and she said the unabridged romance scene met her approval. _

_Moving on…! The need to have their "first time" and the romance moments, in general, are part of the storyline due to … well, you'll see. _

_Like I said before, the entire story is already finished. Just re-reading it for little typos and such. And to make sure the mature scenes are properly censored to meet FFnet's terms of service requirements. _

_Happy reading!_

* * *

Chapter -7-  
_The Krazoa_

**Fox pushed Krystal's feet, boosting her up** onto a ledge.

She turned about, laid down on the ancient masonry, reached her paws down to her fiancé, and helped to pull him up onto the precipice. She grunted softly until he was all the way up, then she rolled over, sat up, and got to her feet.

The ancient stone palace appeared to be made of granite and metal blocks, and, up close, it was twice as majestic as the one on Sauria. The front entrance had no door, just an open doorway, up ahead. The stone blocks had intricate carvings, and the artisanship on the metallic sections looked as though they were either hand-chiseled by a genius or laser-etched by someone with vision and heart.

Fox stopped adjacent to the egress and traced his fingertips through grooves made in the metal. "These designs are…"

"Beautiful," said Krystal.

"Yeah. They're just decorative, though. No purpose."

"Art has purpose," she replied in a soft dulcet tone. She withdrew her staff from behind herself and showed him the intricate design patterns on the shaft. "It's ornate to enhance its beauty."

"Well, yeah, but on your staff, it creates texture to help with grip, and to establish significance … in your case, royalty. It also channels kinetic energy so that all the shock doesn't go into your wrists. Slippy said its layered metal to help with that. And it also channels electric energy, heat, and cold away from the user's grasp, so that the user isn't injured from attacks. And the energy from the shields are channeled into the shaft to further shield the user when utilizing the barrier."

Krystal stared at him. "Oh. Right. Weapons expert. Of _course_ you had Slippy analyze it. Well, good to know, I suppose."

"Don't get me wrong. I've used it against enemies that sent out an electric shock. But it minimized the current into my palms, you know? If I'd touched those things directly, they might have stopped my heart. Whoever created that thing was a gifted weapon's engineer."

Krystal returned it to her back, causing it to telescopically shrink again. "Fox, it's based on designs that have been in use on Cerinia for thousands of years. It's always been said to be alien technology, and when I arrived on Sauria, I learned right away that it could be powered by plants that grew naturally on Sauria. In fact, Saurian upgrades for it were compatible with my staff."

Fox rubbed his chin. "I remember that – jeweled flowers. And then we get here, and the computers could display in Cerinian."

"Yes. Albeit an ancient version of my language, but yes. Further proof that my people worked alongside of the Krazoa a _very_ long time ago. A time apparently forgotten about by my people."

Fox passed through the large metallic doorway. It showed no signs of rust or degradation in any way. Fox wished he had a magnet on him to test it, but he came to the conclusion that it might have been made out of precious metal, or was made with an alloy. He glanced back at her. "Or your government kept that little secret to themselves."

Krystal walked alongside of Fox, through the large doorway, and into a well-illuminated main hall. "My parents were royalty from two nations that were brought together by their marriage, Fox. They created the Senate to give more voices to more people. They would have had access to any ancient knowledge guarded from civilians. That's why I suggested the connection between Cerinias and Krazoans was apparently forgotten or buried at some point, long ago."

"Someone in a position of authority would have had to edit that out of the history books, so to speak. That's how that sort of thing works, Krystal."

"Let's not tarry about, Fox."

"Is that a polite way of telling me to shut up and keep moving?" He grinned at her.

"Perfectly polite as you like, of course." She flashed a smile and started walking through the palace foyer. Sunlight filtered in through beautiful stained-glass windows, although Krystal was quick to notice that some of the windows were missing or broken due to advanced age.

Fox shook his head. "How's it possible that these windows still have color? I mean, they should be blackened with age by now, and destroyed by the cold when this place was missing an atmosphere for a while."

"You love to analyze things, don't you?"

Fox shrugged. "I just … I mean, well, so do _you_."

She smiled. "True. I was born into an educated class; on my way to become a scientist of sorts. I wanted to explore the worlds beyond Cerinia and hopefully build relations as a diplomat. I was trained to analyze things, fly, and protect myself for this task."

Fox gestured with his hands. "Well, look at them. They haven't been maintained in thousands of years. It doesn't make sense. Nothing about this makes sense. It's too clean. It's too maintained. Did they invent Roombas to keep this place clean? If so, why haven't we seen one?"

Krystal shook her head. "One possible answer, one you may not like, is that Andrew brought Venom soldiers to restore the area. Or, Andross did it a few years ago."

Fox grimaced. "Yeah, you're right – I don't like that answer. But there's no proof of that. There's no Venom equipment, no Venom generators, no crew quarters or tents … and cleaning up after themselves before leaving isn't their style."

"But it's not impossible."

Fox nodded in agreement. "You're right, and your theory makes the most sense. But I'm not ready to settle on that just yet. I've seen their worksites. They leave a mess. Ruins on Venom are beautiful, and extremely similar to these – but the lizards left a giant mess."

"Is it true that the lizards of Venom are related to the lizards of Sauria?"

Fox looked around the enormous hall, chose a hallway at the far end, and walked toward it. "Yeah, it's true. They're cousins. The Sharpclaw tribe is a tribal version of the Venom lizards. They're even compatible for procreating. The current theory by leading scientists is that they served the Krazoa as a working-class people."

"Like slaves?"

"Like pets. Pets are members of a family – the lizards were seen as family servants. But, yeah, by Cornerian standards, that's considered slavery."

"And the Venom lizards have done _nothing_ to protect the ruins found on Venom?"

"They spray-paint their own ruins on Venom. What's that tell you?"

Krystal cringed. "They have no respect for history."

"Exactly." Fox shook his head with a soft sigh. As an afterthought, he said, "To be honest, the Saurian ruins are just as clean as these, here… I always assumed it was the dinosaurs. Lightfoot, Sharpclaw, whoever. I just figured someone was cleaning up the ruins." He went through the hallway arches and made his way down a dim hallway. His shadow stretched out before him, disappearing into the distance.

"What if it's technology that repels dust, and superior ventilation that filters out dust and dirt?"

"Guess we'll have to read the Cornerian scientists' papers on this place once we give the all clear for them to study it." Fox rubbed his chin in thought. "Man, this place is beautiful."

There were art pieces set into the hallway walls with large dark circles framing them. Vases, pottery, sculptures of Krazoans, and sculptures that simply had inspiring but functionless designs.

Krystal offered a smile. "Agreed. It really is quite beautiful." She glanced at random ornate decorations along the walls, some of which depicted artwork made from polished jeweled stones.

Fox looked around the area as they walked together. "So, scientist, what's your theory on this building? What do you think it was used for?"

"My study wasn't in anthropology or architecture, Fox." She paused to trace her fingertips over a beautiful Krazoan sculpture set into the wall. Even on its base, it was only as tall as herself, which seemed out of place.

"Feel free to speculate. Pretty sure it's not an office building."

She replied with a chuckle. "If this was _my_ office building, I doubt I would call out very often. I cannot imagine what it was like for the Krazoa. But, based on their artwork, here, it's no doubt their spirits were so wonderous."

Fox rubbed the nape of his neck. "I seem to remember making some of the spirits nervous. When one of them possessed me, it seemed uncomfortable with my past."

"Did the spirit … judge you?"

Fox shook his head. "No, they got to see my perspective, I guess. He just … wasn't comfortable with seeing war through my eyes. They weren't a combat species, you know?" Fox's voice reverberated off the walls. He turned to a particular piece of art and placed his paw against the depiction of a Krazoa mother holding her child in her arms. The baby was clothed in a gown that was long and flowing, inlaid with clear jewels. Like the other pieces, the sculpture was recessed into the bulkhead, placed carefully into a shallow alcove.

Krystal stopped. She stood beside Fox. She watched and vicariously felt the way the image affected him. "It's a powerful piece. I've never seen something so majestic made out of polished stones. The detail is amazing." She leaned in closer, noticing the way the mother was depicted holding her child. "Fascinating…"

"Yeah. I remember my mother, but she died when I was young. I mean, you knew that, of course, but…" He trailed off, then he asked, "What's fascinating?"

"They nursed their young the way we do. They were mammalian."

Fox moved closer to the piece. "Oh, damn, you're right. She's breastfeeding. Sharp eye."

"But _what_, Fox?"

"Huh?"

"You said, '_…you knew that, of course, but_…" Then you changed the subject. I'm willing to listen if you want to continue what you were saying."

McCloud reached down and placed a paw over the microphone in his gauntlet to keep the conversation private. "Just the way she's holding the baby. It reminded me that I have a video that my father took when my mother held me like this. I was in a baptism cloth … thing. Like the way it's depicted here. Long flowing gown. Anyway, she had the _same_ expression on her face as this Krazoa mother, shown here. I've never seen someone able to show emotion on a face of an art piece made out of stones. The artist, whoever they were, is really, really good."

Krystal offered a tender smile. "I love seeing this side of you."

"Yeah, well…" He cleared his throat, shook his head with a chuckle, and shrugged his shoulders. "Let's keep it between us. I don't need to hear Falco, all puffed up, posturing about manliness."

"If Falco is the posterchild for manliness, then … then so am I."

Fox broke into muffled snickers. He cleared his throat and tried to suppress his grin. "Falco could _never_ be as pretty as you. You care about your appearance; he only cares how his leather jacket looks with sunshades."

Krystal mirrored his grin. "And, when I fight, I'm endowed with bigger … guns."

Fox thought back to the Aparoid campaign when Krystal used a Gatling laser blaster. A wry smile spread across his muzzle. "Yeah, Falco only ever uses a pistol, an assault rifle, or a short-barrel sniper rifle."

"My point exactly." She nodded firmly, then she placed her paw on Fox's shoulder. "Joking aside, it's really sweet that you were moved by a piece depicting a mother with her child."

"I can't help but wonder if they believed in stuff like baptisms."

Krystal rubbed her chin. "I never thought to ask the spirit that inhabited my body. She wasn't part of me for very long. She was the guardian of the palace, and I took her upstairs, to release her on the roof. Our conversation was deep but short-lived."

"Was she a mother?"

Krystal pondered the feelings she remembered from hosting the Krazoa spirit roughly two years ago. "I believe so."

"You know, here I am, going into my thirties with medals to show for my work, but no family, no house, no car, no extended college education. Maybe it's finally time to settle a little bit. It seems like, once we take care of Andrew, things will calm down in Lylat. We'll be safe. At least I hope so."

"You want to become a family man?"

"I'm … not opposed to the idea."

Krystal touched his face with her palm and smiled softly. "I can think of no one better suited to protect Lylat _and_ raise a family. How are you with children?"

"I watched Lucy grow up. I used to babysit her now and then. I had Peppy and my dad around to show me how to be a provider, and how to be a dad."

Her smile brightened. "Being good with children, now _that_ is what I call manliness. Something tells me you'd make an exceptional father."

Fox feigned a smile of his own. "Thanks. I like that you believe in me." He reached his paw back up and touched a large faint circle made around the art piece of the mother and child. Fox cleared his throat and shook his head. "This circle is black, and it goes around the entire piece. You don't think it's how their civilization depicted, uh, halos, do you?"

"Anything is possible." She noticed the tone of his voice, took a step closer to him, and, in a soft voice, asked, "Are you all right?"

"I'm not very good at doing the … emotions thing. How about we keep moving?"

"All right, Fox." She gave his shoulder a squeeze, lowered her paw to his gauntlet, and turned down the volume on his unit's microphone. "There."

He gazed down, seeing what she'd done, and offered a weak smile. "Yeah, thanks. Smart."

"My pleasure, love." Krystal fell into step, walking alongside of him. They continued further down the long dim hallway. "You know, I'll never understand the typical Lylat male. There's nothing wrong with showing emotions."

"We're raised being told that women look to the male as an anchor of confidence and emotional stability. It's supposed to be so that we make their lives easier, like, you know, when the woman is menstruating, pregnant, exhausted as a mother, and, later, during menopause. Not saying women can't be emotionally stable when going through those things, but if she wants to let down her guard, she can rely on a stable and supportive husband. That's…" He cleared his throat, and, with a nervous chuckle, added, "This conversation is getting heavy-handed, huh?"

"No, it's refreshing. I never get to see this side of you."

"I didn't think this artwork would have me talking about sappy stuff. It's … weird, right?"

"No. In my society, telepathy bonded us, automatically shared our opinions, and made judgment nearly nonexistent. But, here, the only way to bond is by sharing private sentiments in a conversation. This isn't weird … this is us bonding, Fox."

"Oh. Well, that's good. I like bonding with you. I guess, maybe, that art piece was more, uh, powerful than I realized?"

"Perhaps so. You _never_ overshare, Fox. It's … really refreshing." She offered him a gentle smile. "I like getting to know you this way. On a deeper, more meaningful level, you know?"

"Yeah. It's good. I just don't know how to do it very well." The couple continued down a hallway, which had no lights.

"I'd say you're doing just fine."

"I guess." Fox withdrew his blaster, switched on the light, and pointed it at the ceiling to illuminate the hallway. His vulpine eyes dilated.

Krystal glanced at more artwork on the wall in passing. "I had a thought."

"Yeah?"

"This temple could have been used for anything, back in their day, right…?"

"Okay, what about it?"

Krystal rubbed her chin with a thoughtful expression. "There are circles painted around the artwork pieces. Look close, Fox. They're large – the same size as the glowing portals used at the Krazoa Palace on Sauria where we met. What if these artwork depictions are … places?"

"You mean like … that image of a mother and baby might be a depiction of neonatal care, and back in the day, one could step into the wall as a portal to a neonatal facility?"

Krystal nodded emphatically. "And people say _I'm_ the telepathic one. Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking, Fox."

"So, this hallway might just be a hub, taking different people to different areas necessary for their society…"

Krystal beamed. She liked seeing this side of her man's mind. "If I'm right, that would be fascinating. However, if that's the case, I doubt these portals have operated for a very long time."

"We might need to figure out how to get them running. If that's even possible."

"One way to find out," she said.

They both grinned at one another, and, in unison, said, "…Finish the mission."

Krystal sniffed at the air. "We might be here for a few days. This place is enormous. Far larger than I could have imagined."

"Yeah. We'll have to make camp once we can determine that we've secured the area. I'm not about to have Andrew sneak up on us in our sleep."

"Agreed." She squinted in the distance and said, "Looks like the hallway ends at a 'T' junction. Almost there."

"I see it," he confirmed.

At the end of the hall, they had stairs on either side, going in opposite directions.

Krystal shrugged. "You want to split up?"

Fox shrugged. "Do you sense Andrew in the area?"

"No. Even with his uncle's telepathy dampening helmet, I'd at least be able to know if he's nearby … but he's not."

Fox nodded. "Be safe."

She smiled. "And you." She leaned in, expectantly.

Fox met her lips in a kiss.

She turned to the left staircase and Fox turned to the right. She glanced back, over her shoulder, and said, "Be safe." Her gaze lowered, briefly, to her fiancé's backside. "Come back to me with your tail still attached, hm?"

Fox chuckled. "I will. You, too."

She withdrew her blaster with her flashlight and cautiously ascended the stairs. The steps were fairly high, roughly two stories, then they turned ninety degrees to the right, went up another story, then another ninety degrees to the right, and up another story. She saw light at the top of the ancient stone staircase, and switched off the light on her blaster.

She felt Fox's presence nearby and couldn't help but smirk in realization. She continued up the stairs at a slow rate, waiting for him to emerge across the hallway on the top floor, from the other stairwell he used.

His flight light illuminated the hall. He scouted the hall and reached up to touch his headset. "Krystal, come in…"

She heard him clearly over her communicator earpiece. She took a step from the last stair, emerging from the dark, and approached him from behind on the top floor.

"Krystal?" he said into his gauntlet. "Are you there?"

She leaned in close, with a grin, and spoke directly into his ear. "Boy, these comms are so pristine and clear, it's like you're actually right there, talking into my ear."

Fox whirled around with a smirk. "Krystal…" He shook his head with a chuckle and said, "I see you still have your tail attached. Good."

"You like looking at it, do you?"

Fox licked his lips. "I, uh, respect you as a person too much to objectify your body like that."

"Uh-huh." She feigned a grin. "Well, personally, I like looking at your arse, McCloud." She gave his shoulder a firm pat and back at the double stairwell to the northeast. "So, the two staircases doubled back and met one another on the top floor. How anticlimactic, huh?"

Fox chuckled with a shake of his head. "Seems redundant and nonsensical."

She looked around the upstairs hallway then gestured to the two stairwells. "Not if this temple saw enough foot traffic that the builders had to do it that way on purpose."

"Mm, I suppose that's a good reason. And you're right, it was anticlimactic. But I'm glad we're not separating, after all."

"Aww, you missed me already?" She reached a paw up and stopped him before he could reply. "The correct answer is '_yes, darling_.' Anyhow, let's go see what's at the end of this hallway-in-the-sky, shall we?"

"Yeah, 'in the sky' is right – we're at least four stories up, roughly."

She nodded firmly. "I came to the same guesstimate."

"Let's go check out whatever is ahead of us."

"Let's," she replied. "Feel free to take point like a gentleman."

"Yes, darling." Fox grinned.

Krystal grinned back.

The two foxes made their way down the dark hallway with the light of their blaster attachments to illuminate the way.

The hallway opened up to a grand room. It was several stories tall, and the light of the sun came in through empty windows to the east and west. There was also a series of stained-glass windows in the ceiling, shaped like the moon, the sun, and the stars. Planets also had a place in the ornately decorative ceiling. However, the windows on the east and west wall had no glass in them.

The room had a stone table at the center and a fireplace to the southwest, directly opposite of the hallway, which led back to the stairs.

The room also had bench pews, but the wood was rotted, in a state of advanced decay. Moss grew in a few spots on the floor, thickest beneath the glassless windows on the east and west walls.

Dead vines grew along the backrests of several pews, and it appeared that the benches were, at one time, heavily overgrown to the point that they may have looked like rows of hedges.

Fox shined his light across the pews with a thoughtful look on his face. "I guess the plants, here, died when there was no atmosphere on this moon."

Krystal pointed her light at the floor. "The moss on the ground looks to have been growing for only a few years. Fascinating how it got in, considering how high this room is. I am surprised there's no mold or other growth on the walls."

"The moss could've been carried here, if there are any creatures that live in this area. But … you're right about the mold. Maybe the humidity isn't too terribly bad, but it _does_ seem to rain … that would explain why the plant growth is thickest beneath the windows that are missing glass."

Krystal walked up the rows of pews, toward an alter at the front-middle of the chamber. "It appears their religion isn't too terribly far from church religions on Corneria. At least the ones to which you've introduced me, thus far."

Fox nodded in agreement, shining his light around the somewhat-dark partially sun-lit room. "Yeah, it looks like religion was something they did as a community. I wonder what they prayed to…? I didn't see any depictions to suggest they believed in a single powerful deity, and definitely nothing to suggest they had a pantheon of gods. All we've got so far is this gathering room."

"Perhaps they worshipped themselves," said Krystal. "Although, I didn't really sense that from the spirit I hosted."

Fox shrugged. "Maybe only some Krazoa were religious. Or, maybe only the really old ones were religious – the ones who built this place. Maybe religion disappeared for the ones that were studying this place … the place of their ancestors."

Krystal rubbed her chin. "Your basing your theories on Cornerian culture, but, still, it's a pretty good theory."

Fox walked the perimeter of the slightly ovular room, then returned to Krystal with a shake of his head. "Even the Krazoa Palace on Sauria didn't have a room like this…"

"I saw rooms with water around the edges during my time on Sauria. They were not as large as this one, but they had similar layouts to this one."

Fox thought back to his mission on Sauria. Some of the Krazoa spirits were found in rooms that were shaped like this one, now that he thought back on it. "Mm, yeah, you're right. I've seen rooms shaped like this – the Krazoa Spirits would give tests in them. Maybe that's what they were, there – the rooms had religious meanings. I never thought of it like that before now."

"Fox, didn't you once tell me that in some locations, there were traps and mazes leading up to the rooms where you found the Krazoa spirits?"

"Yeah, true. In some locations, it was pretty obvious that the spirit had builders make it awfully difficult to reach them unscathed. No religion is crazy enough to have their worshippers avoid traps between the entrance and alter room."

"True. Most religions are funded by their believers, so they would want as many as possible. And the Krazoa have shown no signs of cult-like beliefs. You're right. The ones you came across were likely designed to protect the spirit. But the one I came across didn't pose any real dangers in the Krazoa Palace."

"Well, that room was probably used for religious gatherings, then."

Krystal feigned a smile. "My test was a bit daft. There were jars the size of large baskets, and the Krazoa hid in one while slinging them about the room. I had to figure out which one he was in. Since he was noncorporeal, he didn't have a brain to make brainwaves for me to sense … or … read, I guess, as it were. Yet, I still sensed a presence. It made my task far too easy, and … seemingly silly to me. But I wanted nothing more, at the time, than to show that spirit my respect. That's probably why he let me take him with me."

Fox chuckled softly with a wry grin. "They went easy on you for being a girl."

Krystal gawked. "Or they went hard on you because they didn't like boys."

Fox laughed. "Hey, maybe! Me? I had tests out the wazoo. Puzzles, endurance tests, flame throwers that moved up and down a hallway on tracks set in the walls … and, jeeze, let's not even talk about the test of _fear_. That was something I'll _never_ forget. It went beyond annoying. It was a flat-out frustration to be suffered through."

Krystal approached him from behind and affectionately placed her paw on the nape of his neck, running her fingers through his pelt. "And I'm sure you aced your fears on the first try."

"I … uh, well, _yeah_. Of _course_ I did. Not the point. It was _their_ mind game, not my _real fears_."

"How so?"

"The hallucination started with dinosaur attacks and ended with Andross, towering over me, the size of a bio-weapon, and threatening to end me. But neither dinosaurs nor Andross is my deepest fear."

"Andross isn't your deepest fear?"

Fox shrugged. "I mean, sure, I was worried he was still alive, but not _afraid_. I was prepared for that level of disappointment. And, hey, it turned out he really was still alive. No surprise, there. But I was never _afraid_ of him."

She eyed him, trying to peer into his mind, but he was bottling his emotions, making it difficult to sense his deepest fear. "Would it be all right if I asked?"

Fox shrugged again. "My _real_ fear is way simpler."

"I'm listening," she said in a gentle tone. "Is it … the thought of dying alone? Because, if that's the case, Fox, you're not alone. Not anymore."

"Look, most people fear losing their loved ones, or dying, or … whatever. I already lost my family. I lost loved ones. I still muddled on, you know? I mean, dying would only mean I get to see them again. So, I don't fear any of that stuff."

Krystal remained respectfully silent.

Fox continued. "For me? It's way simpler. Silly, really. I'm surprised you haven't sensed it, or, like, you know … telepathically know."

"It's difficult to read from you, Fox. You've compartmentalized your fear exceptionally well." She kept her paw on the nape of his neck with a tender touch. "It's okay if you don't want to tell me."

"Shoot, hon, I'm not afraid of talking about my fears. At least not to you." He cleared his throat, chuckled with another shrug, and announced, "I'm afraid of failure. Simple as that."

Krystal rubbed her thumb back and forth over the top of his spine, while gently sifting her fingers through his fur in a soothing manner. "I lived through my greatest fear – a fear I didn't even know I had until I was faced with it."

"You mentioned dying alone, earlier. Was it related to that…?"

"Yes. Surviving alone. Or, rather, more specifically, watching Cerinia _die_. Being the last of my kind that I know of … being completely and utterly alone. Yet … I faced those fears. I made a new life for myself."

"You're the strongest woman I've ever met."

She lowered her gaze, offering a weak smile. "Well, I couldn't stomach the thought of letting my fears define me."

Fox stayed quiet … reverent.

She continued. "I had a deeply spiritual, and psychologically restorative moment on Sauria. All those Krazoa Spirits you rescued? They passed through me and swirled around me in a protective way while I was in Andross' stasis capsule. They broke down the neurological connections created by my trauma. And when you freed me? I plummeted down into the skylight of the palace. I looked down at the ground, over ten stories below, and I made peace with the possibility that my race was about to end with me, broken and lifeless, strewn about on a floor on some alien planet, far from the graves of my loved ones and my ancestors. I wasn't afraid, just … saddened. You know?"

Fox licked his lips with apprehension. He'd never experienced Krystal open up this way to him before.

"And, in that same instant, I had just undergone a deeply healing period of time with the Krazoa spirits. So, I thought, well, if I die, at least I will die with dignity. Well, as dignified as one _can_, after falling roughly ten stories."

Fox cringed at the mental image. He quickly put it out of his mind.

"So, when I fell from the chamber, I reached up…"

"For the ledge?"

Krystal smiled softly. "No, Fox. For _you_. I sensed your presence in that split second. I reached for the beacon of light that I sensed … you. And then? Then I closed my paws around my staff. I felt renewed as a person. I looked up at the man holding the other end of my staff … the man who helped me up, onto the ledge. I looked up at the man who kept me from falling to my death … and I realized that it was time to start fresh … a _new_ page of a new chapter … starting a brand-new novel of my life."

Fox brought his free paw up and rubbed his jawlines between his thumb and forefinger. He didn't know what to say; he was speechless.

"And what did I do?" Krystal reached up with her free paw and touched the backside of her head, something she'd seen Fox do every time he was embarrassed. She looked away with a nervous chuckle. "I yelled at you and snatched my staff away. I was so frustrated with Andross for imprisoning me, destroying my home, murdering my family … that when I saw him getting away, I snatched my staff and opened fire on him. So, I apologize for my churlish behavior."

"Hey, it's okay, Krystal. I gave you the staff and ran off to my Arwing. Falco and I put him down. Hopefully for good. I'm glad you came up to the Great Fox after that. I should have come to check on you, but I was all … emotional … after fighting my nemesis again, you know?"

"You let me make myself welcome, Fox. I appreciated that."

"Well, that was no problem. You proved yourself pretty capable. I actually respected you for snatching your staff back and opening fire on Andross. Heh."

"I think what really made me feel welcome, Fox, was that … instead of putting me on a shelf to keep me protected, you made me a partner. A team member. You let me help you save my new home from emotionless robotic insect invaders. You let me take a stand alongside of you."

"You lost everything, but you recovered from it with your back straight and your chin up. Krystal, I won't lie, I've always respected your strength of heart and mind. I mean, that's … got to weigh on you."

"It does, Fox. But I've found inner strength in our growing bond. You have shown me so much respect. You've given me purpose and friendship. You've given me appreciation. And, in showing me that respect, I have fallen in love with you. You have become my protector, my friend, my confidant, and my partner. You have shown me the path to reinventing myself."

"I … don't know what to say."

"Say the first thing that comes to your mind, Fox."

Fox chuckled somewhat nervously. "I just … I have the utmost respect for you. Because, honestly, I don't know what I'd do if I learned I was the last of my kind."

"You know, Fox … I don't _have_ to be."

"How do you mean?"

"According to a genetic blood analysis, you and I have compatible DNA. We have markers that make us theoretically compatable."

"Wait, Lylat's inhabitants are compatible with the population of Cerinia?"

"Well, Cornerian scientists did some genetic testing on my blood. And, when they told me that I have some genetic similarities with several known Lylat species, I … might have … given them a strand of your fur, and asked. And, in theory, it looks like Cerinians – if there are any left out there in the universe – are genetically compatible with you, Fox."

He blinked several times.

She chuckled offhandedly with a shrug. "But, I mean, at least now I know that my race doesn't _have to_ end with me."

"That's … _amazing_."

Krystal replied with a sly smile tugging at the corners of her muzzle. "Don't get any big ideas, mister."

"I wouldn't dream of _any_ big ideas."

"Uh-huh. Yeah, right." Her grin broadened.

Fox cleared his throat so as not to blush through his facial fur. "You know I'm not that kinda vulpinian."

"I don't personally know any other vulpine men in Lylat. But if they're all as honorable and handsome as you, I got lucky when I wound up in Lylat."

"Oh, well, uh, thanks for that, and…" He face-faulted, furrowed his brows, and scrunched his nose. "Hey, wait just a sec!"

Krystal laughed softly with a playful expression. "Well, from what I've read about the history of your team, no one else was able to master the Arwing quite so gracefully when they were still new. So, I guess that makes you a unique specimen of your species."

Fox inadvertently looked around, but they were alone. His confidence swelled, and he dropped the wall of armor. "Yeah? Well, I don't know if it's telepathy, skill, or both, but you mastered the Arwing your first time in the cockpit, and that's what _I_ look for in a woman. So, I guess that makes _you_ a unique specimen of _your_ species. We should hook up and hang out some time."

Krystal's smile broadened. She beamed at the way he flirted with her. "I accept. How about right now? You free to hang out?"

"Sure am. I have no problems making time for a lady of your caliber."

"Is it because I was the centerfold model for an issue of _Mercs And Gear_ a few months back? You just want a trophy girl, is that it?"

"Wait … _what_?" Fox stared at her, then brought a paw up and palmed his face. "I can't believe I fell for that."

Krystal erupted with silvery peals of laughter. "You should see your face!"

"You got me, you got me," he said in a muffled tone, speaking into his fingerless gloves.

"Like I'd ever '_spread_' for a man other than you."

Fox swallowed a lump in his throat. "I, uh, I think you mean … do a _photo spread_."

"I said what I meant, and I meant what I said. No one else gets _this_." She turned her paws inward, gesturing from her shoulders to her knees with a downward motion. And then? She bit her lower lip, feeling his shyness with the topic of sex. "Sorry, I got a bit overzealous. Just … high on the moment, I guess."

Fox shook his head. "No, don't apologize. It's been _years_ since I've even talked to a woman, let alone flirted, so I don't know what I'm doing."

"Oh, trust me, Fox, you're doing _just fine_. I just don't want to make you feel awkward by being too … uh, forward. Flirting and sex weren't considered overly sacred or taboo on Cerinia. I'm still kind of learning how shame works in your culture."

"It's not you – you're not being too forward. It's me, Krystal. I'm just nervous about messing up with…"

She put a fingertip on his lips. "Don't."

"Don't what?" he asked against her finger.

"Don't _worry_. If you want me around, I'm here. If you want to take things to the next level, I'm ready. If you want to see how the next step feels? Well, so do I."

Fox licked his lips. "I keep forgetting that your race mastered communication – you guys literally couldn't hide anything from one another."

"Mm-hmm, so I have no compunction about being _very_ open with my feelings for you. I sense yours, it's only fair you get to know mine. We didn't have shame or weird 'forwardness' in my culture. I'm happy to be an open book for you."

"Well, since you can already read my mind, I think it's fair to tell you that I'm not a virgin. But … I kinda' feel like one. It's been forever, and even then, I didn't have a lengthy experience with that sort of thing. Except that it always ended with crashing and burning."

Krystal cupped either side of his muzzle, gently cradling his face in her palms. "I _am_ a virgin. But in my culture, men were expected to learn what they were doing _before_ mating with their betrothed, so as not to hurt the woman on her first time. I'm glad you won't fumble through it."

Fox didn't know how to respond. '_Is this really happening right now_?' he thought to himself. He looked around at the immediate setting, and his first thought was whether or not they were safe to make camp this far from the transport ship, and whether or not it would get too cold at night on the tiny moon.

Krystal nodded in reply to his thought. "If you want to set up camp, first, I'm okay with that. It's just that … I have been alone for far too long. Alone, emotionally. Alone, physically. Alone, well, spiritually in a sense. And, for the record, you're the only man who has ever seen me naked."

Fox thought back to that comically awkward moment when they were in the glass tube together, in Andross' lab. It felt like forever ago. It felt like it could've been fifteen years ago. He exhaled with a firm nod. "I remember it. I proposed to you shortly after."

"You liked what you saw _that much_, did you?"

Fox chuckled. "I proposed because I like the entire package."

"Good answer," she whispered, then leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.

Fox tilted his head a bit, meeting her lips with a delighted smile. They'd made out plenty of times before. It was something he was comfortable with. After a moment to share a lip-lock with her, he broke the kiss and whispered against her muzzle. "Hey, before we settle in for the night, do you want to do a quick sweep and clear the campsite?"

"Do I _want to_? No. But your judgment is sound."

Fox looked around the immediate area, a bit nervous about what was starting to happen.

"We don't have to if you don't want to…"

"I want to," he exclaimed.

"Good. I feel safe here. This is a good place to make camp."

He licked his lips. "Also, I don't have a, uh … y'know, a contraceptive."

Krystal took his paw into hers. "My race is extinct. My eggs are all that remain of my kind. I'm not really concerned with contraceptives, Fox; I trust you are clean. Are you okay with that?"

McCloud licked his lips again. "I'm…" He exhaled softly, swallowed, and said, "I'm … yes. I'm okay with that. But we have to be safe and secure the area first, before we make camp. I saw some dead trees outside of the temple. We could get some firewood, and some large stones, and start a…"

Krystal cleared her throat loud, followed by pointing at a hearth against the southwest wall. "We won't need the large stones, just a blaster to clear the flue."

Fox grinned. "All right. Let's get some wood and clear the area, so we won't be jumped or freeze in our sleep."

"Agreed." She reached up and scratched her nails gently beneath his chin. "You're already trying to be a provider of safety and security. I bet you'd make an amazing father."

Fox swallowed again. "I'd like to hope so. Shall we?" He unshouldered his backpack and sat it by the fireplace.

"Let's," she said, gesturing for him to take the lead. She unshouldered her own pack, leaving it beside his.

Fox leaned into the chimney and pointed his blaster upward. He opened fire, using a narrow-beam setting, blasting straight through the sediment and debris that had accumulated over the years. The heat of the blast melted away the sediment on the insides of the chimney.

Krystal placed her paws on her hips. "It's good to know you're handy. I take it you can change a lightbulb and fix minor plumbing issues, too?"

"Checking my résumé, are you?"

"Hey, we're not married _yet_. I gotta know if my man can do more than open a pickle jar, first."

"Heh. Yeah. Light bulbs, traps, and elbow joints are in my wheelhouse."

"Good to know." She gestured to the northeast hall, which led to the stairwell. "After you."

He led her outside of the large winding temple by retracing his steps.

The wind was starting to pick up a little bit, and the temperature had already started dropping as Lylat lowered into the horizon.

"Man, night sure came fast."

Krystal grinned. "Well, a moon is smaller than a planet."

"Yeah, true. Back when Sauria was in chunks, daytime didn't last very long. It messed with the animals there. They kept taking short naps every time the sun went down."

"I noticed that when I was there. I'd stay awake, and they'd act like I never slept. It didn't seem to faze the Cloudrunner tribe, though. The quick heating and cooling caused it to rain pretty hard when I tried to attack General Scales."

"Yeah, I remember it raining on-and-off a lot in Thorntail Hollow." He headed across the courtyard, away from the palace, toward the town buildings that surrounded the palace.

She followed him across the way to the nearest building, which had a tree growing up along the side of the wall. It was long dead from a time period before the atmosphere was destroyed over Miracle.

Fox changed his blaster's settings to cut off a low branch, and then to cut that branch into pieces. He holstered his sidearm and gathered all the pieces.

Krystal pointed at his gauntlet. "If there was anyone in the area, it would give you a proximity alert, correct?"

"Well, it's been upgraded and set to detect the heartbeat of anyone cold blooded, or with a lower body temperature than ours."

"Lower how?"

"Primates run between 98.5 and 99 degrees, using Papetoon Imperial Fahrenheit. Vulpine species run a hair shy of 101 degrees. Or, uh, using Cornerian Metric, I'm between 38.225 and 38.3 degrees."

"Your device is probably far more vigilant than either of us. I think we'll be safe to sleep tonight."

"Yeah, I'm sure we'll be fine. I just wanted to look around the area, first. Better safe than sorry. That, and get some firewood."

"Although, the temperature thing…" She moved a bit closer and said, "That explains why you're always so warm and snuggly."

"I … wait, what?"

"One degree Celsius is, what, one-point-eight degrees Fahrenheit?"

"Yeah."

Krystal offered him a wry grin. "That means you're a half-degree hotter, in Fahrenheit, than _my_ average normal temperature. So, you keep me warm when we snuggle up on the sofa in the lounge."

Fox chuckled. "Oh. So _that's_ why you always curl up next to me when Falco and I play videogames."

"Mm-hmm. Now you know my secret."

And, just like that, the sky opened up with a burst of rain.

Krystal laughed with a shake of her head. "We could've been inside, keeping each other warm in fun and exciting ways, but _you_ wanted to make a fire." She patted his chest with her palm.

Fox swallowed the tight lump in his throat. "Sorry, I uh…"

"Don't apologize. I'm teasing my little caveman, because he wanted to keep me warm and safe, heh."

"Oh."

She kissed the side of his face. "Really, Fox. It's fine. We both brought secondary clothes."

"Uh, yeah, exactly. We _do_ have a second pair of emergency clothes in our packs."

Krystal took one of the small log pieces from him and held it close to her chest. "Let's get back and dry our gear over the hearth."

"Agreed," said Fox. "Before this wood becomes saturated to the point it's unusable."

She hurried out of the old house with the tree growing up through the roof. She headed back for the temple.

The rain intensified for a moment, as they dashed through the courtyard, then lightened considerably as they approached the decorative metal archway ingress.

By the time they both dashed into the temple entrance, both were soaking wet. Both foxes kept their wood pieces close to their chest to keep them as dry as possible.

Krystal laughed softly and shook her head. "My log seems … _sort of _dry, but only because I shielded it under my chest."

"Yeah, same, except I had to double over while running. It's not drenched, but I am. We got these logs just in time – we'll be fine. They'll keep a fire going." He exhaled and glanced back outside of the metallic archway. "These things might cause a bit of smoke at first, though."

Krystal used her free paw to withdraw her flashlight-attached blaster pistol. She chuckled with a shake of her head. "That didn't go as planned."

"Yeah. Didn't know there was a small storm in the area. Sorry."

"Stop apologizing, Fox. C'mon. Let's get these things into that hearth, up on the top floor."

"You got it." He followed Krystal upstairs, through the temple.

As it continued to get dark outside, the temple became darker on the inside. However, it was noticeably warmer as they continued higher up, into the temple.

"You were worried it was going to be cold, Fox? But heat rises, and most of the windows in this palace are still intact."

"Yeah, but the two large ones on the east and west walls, upstairs, were missing."

"True. I guess we'll see in a moment."

They took the last set of stairs, together, and made their way back up to the shrine room again.

Krystal looked around. "All right, you win. The chantry is colder than I remember. I'm woman enough to admit you may've been right."

Fox grinned but didn't say a word. He put the driest pieces of wood into the hearth first.

Krystal put her log into a metal cradle inside the hearth, along with Fox's collected wood. She withdrew her staff and pointed it at the collection of wood pieces and used the flame setting to ignite the logs.

The wet bark caught flame, creating smoke, but most of it went upward, into the large chimney. After a few moments for the wet bark to burn away, the dry wood, beneath, crackled to life but the popping sounds soon subsided.

The room was soon cast in a soft glow.

Krystal noticed metal rod holders above the hearth on either side and gave a gentle push on each to test them. Satisfied it was stable and not rusted away, she put her staff, extended to full length, on the rod holders.

"That's handy," Fox said.

"Mm-hmm." Krystal unzipped her flight suit from the collar to her crotch. She stepped out of the one-piece flight suit, wearing spandex shorts and an A-frame.

Fox stole a glance at her figure in the glow of the fireplace.

Krystal draped her flight suit over her staff in front of the hearth and spread it out so it would dry faster.

"Smart," he said, adding, "Wouldn't want to wind up getting sick."

"Exactly," she replied. "Just in case my second set of clothes become wet or unusable tomorrow." She sauntered across the room to their gear packs, unzipped one, and withdrew three thin but soft blankets. She tossed them to Fox. "Lay them out on the floor."

Fox laid the three large, soft blankets out, one atop the other, so they had a makeshift bed.

Krystal went through her pack until she found a silver-colored emergency blanket in the side pocket. It unfolded as it came free of the pack. She unzipped Fox's pack and withdrew a second emergency blanket, and brought back both to the hearth, and handed him one.

Fox took the crinkly silver blanket and examined it. "These shield against low level radiation, extreme cold and extreme heat, and it's fire retardant." He didn't know what else to say – he'd never used an emergency blanket before. "…Thanks."

"Mm-hmm." She cloaked herself in the second crinkly blanket, removed her A-frame and spandex shorts, and hung them up over her staff, in front of the hearth. She cut her gaze to Fox, watching the expression on his face in the glow of the fire.

He didn't say anything.

"Hang up your gear, Fox," she said with a wry smile.

"Hmm? Oh, right." He draped the other silver blanket over himself, undressed quickly, and then hung up his clothes adjacent to her own on the ornate golden pole.

Krystal smiled. Her ears perked up at the sound of water. She glanced back and saw it coming in through the east and west windows in the walls at opposite sides of the room. She cut her gaze back to Fox. "Aren't you glad we're prepared?"

"Yeah, I'll say." He stepped out of his boots and used his foot to push them off to the side, adjacent to the two backpacks on the floor.

Krystal approached one of the two windows in the alter room and gazed out at the hard rain. She grimaced at the feeling of cold air that came in through the window. "I wish I better understood how high-and-low-pressure systems work. It's bloody cold out there all of a sudden."

"Shoot. We only have the two blankets, plus what we're using to make the bed."

"I have an idea," she said. Without another word, she put her foot up on the windowsill, stepped up into the stonework window, and put the blanket over the window. The blanket was just large enough to cover the entire window. "Fox, bring me my blaster."

Fox couldn't help but stare at her nude backside, illuminated by the fireplace.

"Fox. My blaster."

"Right, uh … your blaster." He retrieved it from her gear and carried it over to the window. "Be careful, huh?"

"I will." She held the blanket in place over the window and said, "Use the lowest setting and melt the sides to the stone."

Fox fidgeted with the blaster, then he carefully aimed and heated the edges of the blanket until it was firmly melted to the stones, so that it sealed the window.

Krystal hopped down, landing in a crouch in front of the covered window. She pointed to the opposite window. "Your turn."

Fox used the blaster to seal the bottom of the blanket to the stones beneath the sill. He walked over to the window and paused. "Wait, you … want me to…?"

"Get up there and hold your blanket in place over the window." She took the blaster from him with a grin.

Fox walked over to the other window and carefully climbed up onto the sill. He opened his blanket in front of himself and extended his arms, keeping the blanket fully opened to cover the window.

Krystal melted the edges of the blanket to the stonework.

Fox hopped down.

She finished melting the crinkly fabric to the stonework beneath the sill.

Fox couldn't help but notice how she was neither coy nor coquettish, standing nude before him. It was like it didn't bother her – she was completely comfortable in her fur and flesh. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that he'd seen her naked before, by accident, when they were in the glass tube together, with their minds connected in the laboratory on Fortuna. It was well over a year ago, but it felt like forever, for some reason.

Krystal thumbed the safety on her blaster. She set it on the floor near the fabric blankets, which were soft and made from recycled nylon. She lowered to her knees on the makeshift bed and ran her fingers over the soft material. "It feels like … synthetic chinchilla fur."

Fox furrowed his brows. "How do you know what a chinchilla feels like?"

"Oh, don't be jealous. I didn't go around petting men, silly boy."

For some reason, Fox melted on the inside from being called silly. He couldn't be sure why.

"The doctor on Corneria who cleared me after I decided to stay and join Star Fox … she ran the tests on my blood, remember? She was a chinchilla, and I marveled at how soft her fur felt to the touch. It was unreal. We had a girl moment and talked about vanity. No judging."

"Oh, okay."

"So, how do _you_ know what a chinchilla's fur feels like, Fox?"

"Bill Grey dated a chinchilla for about six months, way back in the academy days. He never stopped talking about how it felt when they were in bed together. She dumped him because she was anti-war, and he was pro-military."

Krystal chuckled. "One of those '_opposites attract_' relationships, I take it."

"Pretty much. He asked me to give her back some of her belongings after they broke up. So, I brought her stuff to her. She gave me a hug of thanks. She was wearing short sleeves. I remember being surprised how soft it was for the two seconds she hugged me, meanwhile I was thinking how weird it was to be hugged by some girl I'd never met before. Anyway."

"I'm glad you and I have so much in common." She lifted the top of the three blankets and sat down, using the top blanket to put around her shoulders. She glanced over at the reredos at the back of the room in the southeast corner, opposite of the fireplace. She turned to look directly across the room at the northeast corner, where the hallway was.

"I've been thinking about what you said, earlier," Fox replied. "I'm okay with it. I'm okay with whatever happens. I'm not trying to sound like some sort of horny … dog. I just, I've had time to think about things. And, Krystal, I'm okay with … if you get pregnant. I know you want to do whatever it takes to restore Cerinia and save your race. I can respect that."

"Oh, Fox. Cerinia is gone." She gently patted her paw on the blanketed floor. "My culture is gone. My people are gone. I've come to terms with it. I'm very likely the last of my race. But, well, having a child to pass on the knowledge of my kind … _that's_ appealing to me. It would help put my heart to rest on the issue."

"I can understand that." Fox moved a bit closer to her, then he sat down on the blanketed floor in front of the warm fire. He drew the opposite end of her blanket, pulling it over his shoulders, so that there was a bit of excess fabric between them from the size of the covers.

"Y'know, it also doesn't hurt that my future child's father is a bit of a dish." Krystal scooted closer to him and placed her head on his shoulder. "Y'know what else? That kiss, earlier … that was nice."

Fox pivoted on his rump, leaned out from beneath his end of the blanket, and cupped either side of her muzzle. He brushed his lips over hers.

Krystal melted into his kiss. She sighed in content, tilted her head, and kissed him back passionately with all the longing in her heart.

Fox parted his maw. His tongue moved forward, brushing past her lips.

Her tongue danced and dueled against his. Kissing wasn't something that existed in her culture, yet it felt _so natural_ with him. It was a powerful turn-on, and she loved the act of making out. It was one of the best things about Lylat.

Fox enjoyed the zealousness of her kiss. He felt his confidence spike and pulled her close. His paws slid over the silky pelt on her back.

Krystal murred softly against his lips. She felt the heat of blood beneath her cheeks, and her heart raced in her ribcage. She loved how large his hands felt on her back; they made her feel small in his strong grasp. Small and protected.

Fox tilted his head a bit more, and their muzzles fit together perfectly like puzzle pieces.

She released her end of the blanket from her paws and reached out, placing her palms firmly against his athletically toned chest. She explored the sculpt of his upper abdominals with her left paw, while cupping his chest with her right.

She loved the feel of his racing heart beneath her fingertips. Her left paw trailed down, further, exploring the groove between his abdominal muscles, and because he was sitting up and leaning forward, his abs bunched up beautifully.

Fox responded to her touch in a way that proved he was turned on. His heart raced. His ears laid back; his whiskers folded back along his muzzle so as not to interfere with the kiss. His tail fluffed up, and, as he felt her left paw explore lower, through his thick vanilla pelt, past his navel, it caused a surge of desire.

Krystal's velveteen-padded paw stopped at his lap. She felt the heat of his blood as his manhood firmed up beneath her feminine touch. It was such a delight to know she had the ability to bring her man to attention with a mere kiss and touch.

Fox's flesh throbbed in an instant. He was thick and long.

Her paw trailed from the base, up to the tip, and back down to the hilt. She had never seen this side of him. When they dashed naked through the base on Fortuna, and when they took the combat motorcycle, still wearing no clothes, well … she never got to see _this_ part of Fox.

She couldn't help but be impressed. He had impressive length, certainly longer than what would be able to fit in her dainty muzzle. She didn't have any way to measure it, but she guesstimated longer than seven inches, possibly longer than nine.

Fox shivered at her touch. "Here I am, breaking my own rule about professionalism in the field during a mission."

She leaned back a bit, showing her toned body and modest bustline to him by firelight. The pink pert nubs of her breasts glowed by the flame's light, taut and firm.

She knew she wasn't over-endowed like the vixens in the Cornerian smut magazines or on the internet. But she didn't care. She knew that she had her man's attention, and that's what she wanted. It made her feel desired. It made her feel sexy.

Fox licked his lips. "By the goddess Lylat, Krystal, you are _so_ freaking beautiful. I … know I don't tell you that often enough. But, you are so … I … I just…"

She liked having this effect on him. "Yes? Go on, say what you're going to say, love."

"I'm a lucky man. I get to have a crush on my fiancée."

Okay, now she felt giddy. It was sweet to hear, but it was also stimulating to know that her lover was extremely attracted to her. "Is that right…" She reached her right paw around and firmly grasped his tight masculine rump. "What I said earlier, when I said I'm dating you for your body? I meant that." She grinned. Of _course_ she didn't mean it like _that_, but this was her first time trying to muddle her way through pillow talk.

Fox wasn't used to feeling sexy. He wasn't used to feeling attractive. He wasn't used to women being around, until these past two years, and he wasn't used to having someone flirt with him. But he _loved it_. He pulled her close, up, onto his lap, and kissed her again, the way he'd kissed her earlier.

Krystal murmured in delight against his lips. Her paws went wild, exploring what she could touch. Her paws went to his back, down a bit, then back up. She moved her forearms between their bodies, just touching everything she could.

Fox broke the kiss, panting softly … lustfully. "It's still a bit cold in here. Maybe you could warm me up?"

"Mm, maybe so." She kissed down along his jawline, and over his throat, just wanting to touch every inch of him. She nipped and licked at his neckline, then down to his collarbone. She was overcome with lust for his man, and kissed every delicious inch of his chest that stood in the way of his abdomen. Her lips moved further down, passing his navel, and then … she wasn't sure what overcame her senses, but…"

Fox leaned back, propped up on his paws, watching her head go lower. His eyes widened in anticipation.

She knew one thing was for certain – she was going to mate with her lover tonight. She'd thought about it many times over the last … almost two years with Fox.

The two mates delighted each other with what little they knew how to do.

And, while they'd never made love before, she had thought about what it might be like many times, alone in bed, or in the privacy of the shower. But now … it was actually going to happen.

Her heart was pounding its way out of her chest.

Fox had two mates in the past. He wanted to please her, but he also wanted to make sure she was turned on enough for this act to occur. He shifted his weight, so that he was on one knee in front of her.

Krystal was just a tiny bit shorter than him, sitting, and she looked up at him with doe-like eyes.

Fox guided her onto her back and knelt between her ankles. His right paw linked up to her left, again, interlacing his fingers with her own, so that her engagement ring stone was between his knuckles.

He returned the favor with a gentle-yet-firm touch to bring her pleasure.

Krystal squirmed, immediately panting with a need she'd never felt before. "Oh _fuh…uhh…ck_," she breathed.

Fox had only heard her cuss a handful of times, and for some reason, the tone of her voice made it incredibly hot.

She squeezed his paw firmly, indicating that he was doing a good job.

And before long, she tugged at his paw, drawing him close.

Fox followed her meaning and crept forward. He moved above her, trailing his lips back up her smooth toned tummy. There was something salacious and taboo about making love in the middle of a mission. But their passions ran hot, and he couldn't deny her. His lips continued upward over her body.

Before his kisses could reach her neck, she reached for his face and guided his mouth to her own.

Her lips parted in sybaritic self-indulgence, wanting to taste his tongue again. Their muzzles slanted together heatedly hedonistic in her hunger for him. She kept purchase on either side of his face, reveling in the way his whiskers tickled her palms.

His own paws moved over her body, clutching her wherever he was able to touch.

Krystal lifted her long lean legs, wrapped them around his waist, and crossed her ankles. She pressed her heels just beneath the base of his tail, and pulled him close.

Fox, despite not having a lover in roughly a decade, was experienced in this moment. No paws needed, no touch necessary, no guidance required.

It all came back, like riding a bicycle. There was something natural, primally instinctive, and honest about this, and he reveled in the moment.

Krystal's body tensed instinctively. Her well-adjusted sense of logic was out the window, and she surrendered to the passion that possessed her heart and soul.

She never thought her first time would be in such a romantic setting … an ancient castle-like dwelling, in front of a flickering fire, during a rainstorm. It was like something out of a romance novel.

She always thought her first time would be in a soft bed with rose pedals all around. But, despite the lack of a big fancy bed, it was exactly as she'd always wanted her first time to happen. She decided the epicurean luxuries could wait until their wedding night.

It felt like she was falling in love all over again for the first time. This carnal side of Fox was so welcome, and his wanton behavior was the most venereal and promiscuous thing she'd ever experienced.

She expected it to hurt, but she was so incredibly turned on, and so desirous, that she was able to enjoy his slow, deep, calm movements. It was sensual and loving.

But she craved more. She didn't hurt. She, instead, felt a little bit numb.

She didn't care anymore – she craved more. Something more risqué and ribald. She craved something that boarded on scurrilous and raunchy.

She broke the kiss, lifted her head with a deep gasp, and cried out in delight, right into his ear.

Fox became wild with unconstrained abandon.

After two _years_ of flirting with this man … after waiting for _so long_ to know his touch … after wanting this so badly, every day, for _six hundred days_ … she couldn't believe it was finally happening. But her body? It _hungered for this_ moment.

They made love.

And then he kissed her in a way to keep her voice contained.

She had wanted nothing more than to know Fox McCloud's touch. She remembered feeling disappointed the night he proposed, when he didn't make love to her. She came to understand it – he lost every woman he'd touched in one way or another, but she was going to be different. She wasn't going to fall victim to the McCloud curse. She vowed it to herself, especially if things with him were going to be _this intense_.

She brought her paws up his back and sifted her fingers through the slightly longer tuft of white fur atop of his head.

Fox broke the kiss to breathe hard, but he kept his lips against hers. He spoke against her mouth, between panting. "I love you."

And with that, she was undone. She never expected words, which she'd heard him say in the past, to catch her so off guard, but she _felt_ his love and adoration when he said it.

She knew it was pillow talk, but she also knew that the only time he'd ever said it in the past was when he'd put a ring on her finger. The fact that she could sense the truth and honesty in his words made them that much more meaningful.

"I love you _more_," she replied, then pulled his head down, so that his lips met hers again. She wasn't sure where she'd heard 'I love you more' before. A book? A TV program, perhaps? A cinema feature, maybe? She knew it wasn't something from Cerinia, because '_I love you_' wasn't a saying there – the feeling was something telepathically felt by another of her race. But she reveled in those words, here, in Lylat, because there was something pure and romantic about hearing a man freely express his feelings.

She sensed that Fox _really_ liked hearing her say the phrase back.

Fox broke the kiss, panting softly. "That … was…" He held his breath for a few seconds to clear his mind. Then, without even thinking before speaking, he just let the words roll off the tip of his tongue. "…Effing _amazing_."

She reached her left paw down and gave his rump a gentle pat. "Be easy, hm?"

Fox nodded in understanding, and slowly drew his hips back.

The sensations made her flinch a bit. "So … heh. Amazing, am I?"

"I loved you for your cleverness and hot figure before today. But now? You've ruined me for other women for the rest of time."

Krystal beamed in response. "Okay, if that was pillow talk, it was the best pillow talk I've ever heard. They don't have men talk like that in romance novels."

"Oh yeah? How do men talk in your books?"

Krystal chuckled softly. "They complement the woman in romantic ways, and appeal to her mind. They talk, well, like a man being written by a woman."

Fox shifted his weight and laid beside her. He laughed aloud and draped his forearm across his forehead, breathing heavy and steady. "So, it's fake?"

"It is to me. One of the only parts of romance novels that killed it for me."

"Really? In what way?"

"When the stable boy speaks to the wayward rogue princess like a poet, it doesn't feel realistic. This? What you and I have? _This_ is real. And, uh…" She suddenly lost the ability to speak.

"Yeah?" He turned his head sidelong, staring at the side of her face. "What?"

In a softer voice, she replied, "It, uh … was … amazing for me, too."

Fox replied with a brilliant Cheshire grin. "Yeah?"

Krystal nodded. "You were trained well."

Fox laughed nervously. "Trained?"

Krystal nodded. "On Cerinia, two telepathic mates would walk each other through the act so that they knew how to best please one another. But you have no idea what I'm feeling, so you have to rely on training and experience. I've heard of women seeking out men who know how to make love, so that the man will know how to please her. That's the custom here, isn't it? To an extent. I know it depends on the woman, of course, but where I am from, there are no secrets, there is no judgment of past lovers."

"Ah. Are people monogamous in your society?"

"Some. If they've found someone that they fall in love with … someone to grow old with, then the couple becomes monogamous. It typically happens in old age … that person you love even when sex isn't involved anymore. But before children come along, yes, many Cerinians were polygamous. That … that _is the_ term, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Here, in Lylat, Vulpine people are known for monogamy. That's okay, right?"

Krystal smiled. "Fox, I've never known any other way than this. With you. When I left Cerinia, I was still a virgin. I … was a virgin until … tonight."

Fox smiled brightly, to the point it made the corners of his face hurt. "I … always figured, but I wouldn't have judged either way. I am flattered to be your first."

"I am flattered you called me amazing in comparison to your past experiences." She turned to face him, so that her nose brushed against his, while they lay side-by-side. "I fed off your feelings and shifted my body as needed to please you best. That's how mating works in my culture. But the fact you knew how to touch me without being telepathic? That is truly impressive, Fox."

"I took your paw, remember? We held hands. When I do something you like, I feel your hand tense up. I, uh … also really like the fact that you're a screamer."

Krystal felt flush in the face all at once. "I'm … what?" She heard him, but sometimes it was easier with a telepathic race, so that she didn't have to hear or say such things out loud. "I didn't catch that." She wasn't sure why she lied. It just … came out.

He rolled onto his side, propped up on an elbow, and said, "It's _hot_ to hear you get so … vocal. That also helped me know I was doing things the right way. Well, that, and the way you kept saying, '_it feels so good_,' and '_just like that_.' Heh."

Krystal's face _ached_ from tensing up with flushness. She reached back and swatted at his chest. "Okay, okay! I had to make sure you kept doing things that felt good, you goofball."

Fox chuckled softly. He leaned in close and brushed his nose against her ear. Then, in a soft voice, he said, "You know what else was really hot? '_Please. Harder. Please_.' I'd have held back longer, because I wanted to last longer for you, but when you said that? I couldn't control myself."

Krystal bit her lower lip, hearing her words spoken back to her, but when he continued explaining himself … when he talked about losing control … that was intoxicating. She rolled onto her side, propped up on her elbow, so that she faced him in a way that mirrored his posture. Her breasts heaved to the side, resting one atop the other by her elbow.

He met her gaze. "What?"

"You? The epitome of willpower and control?"

Fox chuckled. "I have a temper. At least I used to when I was a teenager. Ask anyone who was familiar with my obsession during the Lylat War. I was a hot head until I was in the cockpit. That was the only thing that could focus me. Willpower wasn't ever something used to describe me."

"Yeah? That's just proof you're a passionate man. Passion doesn't _just_ mean making love. It means having intense emotions. But, Fox, when you're in the field, you're the most controlled man I've ever met. And your willpower? Even the Krazoa spirits could attest to it – you passed their willpower test in a way that humbled their initial thoughts of you. And from what you've told me about the test of fear? It took _incredible_ willpower and control to master your fears. So, for you to tell me that you lost control for me? That _I_ affect you _that much_? It's … _very_ … sexy."

Fox was propping his head on a paw, but he used his free paw to take her by the backside of her head. He drew her close, until their lips slanted across one another.

Krystal's heart pounded in her chest again. They kissed in a heated way for a moment or so, then she broke the kiss, and, in a breathy voice, said, "I can't remember if I've told you this before, but this … kissing … with the tongues … it's not something my culture did. But … I _really_ like it. I can't get enough of it. It _really_ turns me on."

"Does it, now?" He brushed his lips against hers again, teasingly, then flicked his tongue across her lips. He drew her head close once more, but he didn't kiss her yet. He only teased that he would kiss her.

"You are a bad man."

"I thought I was a good boy with bad habits."

Krystal grinned. "I _did_ say that, didn't I?"

"Mm, yeah, ya did." He brushed his lips against hers again, maw open, but didn't _yet_ make out with her. "I like knowing I turn you on."

She couldn't stand the teasing. She reached over, took his pelt in her fists, and pushed him firmly onto his back, then she moved over him. She doubled over at the waist, and firmly pressed her lips against his.

Fox put his paws on her hips to keep her steady while she sat on his lap, pinning him to his back.

Again, they made love.

After a moment, she stopped shifting her hips, and crawled off of him. She wanted to stand, but her legs were shaking to the point that she couldn't manage it.

Fox got to his feet. He ran his fingers through her hair.

Their eyes met. He grinned down at her, and she looked coyly up at him with a pounding heart.

Fox reached down and put his paws beneath her arms. He lifted her to her feet, then bounced her against his knee, so that he could lift her up by her hips. Without warning, he set her down on a stone object, nearby, that resembled a small rectangular table.

Krystal looked up at him, still panting from her last release. A slight grin tugged at the corners of her muzzle, and she afforded him a tired wink. "Okay, tough guy. You can pick me up like a plaything. That's actually hot. I had mine … your turn."

Somewhere at the back of her mind, she wondered how sore she would be the next day. Once she found herself on the stone slab, she spoke to him in private ways only meant to be shared between two mates.

Fox experienced a physical hunger he'd never experienced for any other woman, before.

"You _are_ mine. _My_ little vixen." Fox was going with her pillow talk, but he was more than happy to talk to her in such a possessive manner. He wasn't sure what had overcome him, but he didn't fight it.

She loved it. She loved how much he was getting into it.

He enjoyed his little vixen, and she enjoyed being his. She enjoyed that it was his turn to be in control. Before long, the passionate act concluded.

They panted together, and he put his right foot down, on the floor, to balance himself. "Holy hell, that was ... just…"

Words failed her as well. "Ngh," she grunted. She spoke without thinking, just blurting out whatever floated across her tongue. "God, you sure know how to eff." And then she was horrified, but too tired to apologize.

Fox laughed in a winded way. He didn't know if it was her race or if she just knew how to perform actions that made the act memorable, due to being telepathic, but he was certain that no other woman would ever be good enough ever again. "Ruined," he panted.

"For other women? Good," she replied. "Just think … with a little more experience, I'll be even better."

"You're already better than anyone else I've ever touched," said Fox. "If you learned this well from romance novels, then I will buy you every damn book ever written."

Krystal laughed. "You're better than any book, Fox. Now that I have the real thing, and now that I have a man who knows how to fulfill my cravings, I doubt I'll ever read another romance novel for the rest of my days. You just keep doing what you did, earlier, and everything will be fine, okay?"

"Yeah?"

"Yes. If you do, I promise I'll do whatever you want, whenever you want it." She panted for a moment, until she managed to catch her breath, then she said, "I could go for a sandwich."

Fox laughed. "God. A _sandwich_? Really?"

"I heard it on the internet. Heh. Isn't that what guys want afterwards?"

Fox laughed again. "Krystal, after mind-blowing sex like this? _I'll_ make _you_ whatever kind of sandwich you want. I'll fly back to Corneria, buy out a sandwich shoppe, and bring them all back. Gourmet sandwiches. Whatever you want, hon."

Krystal grinned. "Well, I could get used to that, especially since I'm raw and sore, after that barrage on my senses."

"Oh, a _barrage_, was it?"

"Well, when you took command, I was expecting an adventure, not an all-out assault. I never imagined sex could be like _that_. You went from zero to a hundred in a blink. On a scale of one-to-ten, I give it a sixty-four."

Silence.

"Too much, Fox?"

"I'll allow it, pilot."

They both grinned.

Fox withdrew his arms from around her body. He stood up, then he stretched.

Krystal sat up on the edge of the old stone alter. She looked at his taut abs while he stretched, then she shook her head with a grin. "Once I can walk again, we may have to consider round two, hmm?"

"Don't tell me you could go _again_," he said with a grin.

"No, I need a moment. I was just … looking at what's mine." She reached a paw out and touched his toned abdominals. "All mine."

Fox shook his head with a grin. "What if … we … cohabitated?"

"You want to share quarters? Like … flat-mates?"

"If you want, or we could take things a step further…"

"Wait, you mean…?" In a softer tone, she asked, "Share a bed?"

"Why not?"

Krystal licked her lips. "I don't know if I could _ever_ say no to _that_. Just promise we'll have more nights like this…?"

Fox ran his paws up through his sweat-moistened hair, followed by a firm nod. "God, are you kidding, Krystal? My testosterone is going to go through the roof, now. Supply and demand, or whatever. I can't keep my paws off of you. We're going to start sleeping in every morning, the gang will snicker behind our backs."

"Oh, morning sex, too? That sounds delightful. Wait…" She stared at him for a moment. "What is … morning _wood_?" She tilted her head a bit, as if studying him in silence. Then, "Oh, really? Men wake up with…? Now _that_ is fascinating. I might have to see for myself before you wake up. God, I feel like I just won the interplanetary lottery."

Fox chuckled. "No, I definitely won the lotto tonight. No doubt about it."

"We both did, and I'm happy to share it with you." She reached forward, still sitting on the stone slab, and kissed his abs, playfully.

Then her kisses went lower…

A moment later, she drew her head back and looked up at him with doe-like eyes. "There. All clean."

Fox grinned at her. "God, that was hot as hell. C'mon, let's lay down for a bit. See if we can't get a little shut-eye."

"Oh, I get post-coital snuggles, too?!" Krystal laughed softly and slid off the edge of the alter. She glanced back it with a tired chuckle. "I can't believe we just … on that thing."

Fox shrugged. "Whatever it was used for two thousand years ago, it's not used for that anymore. I'm sure whatever anthropologist studies it next will be angry and say we desecrated it but … whatever."

"Uh-huh." She sank to the blanketed floor with a sigh of content. "God, that was really, _really_ nice."

"You, uh … want the same cleanup treatment you gave me?"

Krystal shook her head with a chuckle. "No." She laid down on her back and put her feet up in the air. "I want it to do its job."

Fox laid down beside her and pulled her close, pushing his nose against her neck. "After that, I know I'm going to sleep great."

"Good. Me, too." She brought her knees up in a fetal position, while still on her back, and wrapped her paws beneath her legs, keeping them up. She nuzzled his face with her own. "They say it's only a fifteen percent chance that a joining will lead to pregnancy."

"Guess we'll have to have a joining seven times a day if we want to have a 105 percent chance of success."

Krystal laughed. "I like that math."

"I like _you_."

She murred softly in reply. "I _love_ you."

Fox rolled onto his side, next to her, and kissed her softly. After a moment, having his lips pursed against hers, he broke the kiss and then he kissed her nose. "Thank you for a night I'll never forget."

She glanced at the flickering log, then back into his eyes. "I think that's _my_ line. Sleep well, love."

"And you," he said, followed by one more kiss. He rolled onto his back, put a paw beneath his head, and drew her close, so that her head was in the nutch between his arm and his chest.

It felt like a natural body pillow. She snuggled into the warm pelt of his chest, draped one leg over his thighs, and closed her eyes. "By the goddess, this is _really_ nice."

"Mm, it really is," he whispered back.

"I am _so_ comfortable," she murmured. Her eyes felt heavy, and the sound of rain made it easy to relax into him.

"I hope Andrew just up-and-leaves, so we can turn this into a mini vacation."

Krystal sighed softly. "That would be too lovely…" and then she grumbled softly. "Oh, dammit."

"What's wrong?"

"I, uh … think I have to pee."

"You want an escort to the tall bathrooms?"

"No, love. I'll manage. I'll take the top blanket and head down. And my staff, just in case."

"You sound disappointed."

"One more thing the romance novels got wrong. Everybody pees. Just wish I didn't have to go two flights down to find the bloody lavatories. But, no, love. Like I said … I'll manage."

X

* * *

X

_The next morning_…

**Krystal felt her lover against her backside.** She sighed softly in content and stretched a bit, then relaxed. She lay on her right hip with her clothes rolled up beneath her head as a makeshift pillow.

She never intended to lose her virginity in, of all places, an ancient temple. It seemed a bit taboo and sacrilegious, but after reflecting on what little she learned of their race, and how the Krazoa placed incredible emphasis on procreation, due to their dwindling numbers, the alter room actually felt … appropriate.

She expected to feel guilty or awkward, but she didn't. Instead, she felt freer than she had felt in ages. She felt as though she could take on any challenge, because she had a fiancé to stand by her side.

She thought back on the details of the previous night. She recalled some of the things she said to Fox in the throes of passion. She didn't know where those things came from, but it came natural with him, and she didn't feel judged in any way.

She felt Fox stir against her backside. She reached back and gave his hip a gentle pat. "You awake?"

Fox opened his eyes. "Hey, you." His voice was gruff, groggy, and deep.

It sent chills down her spine.

She smiled at him and he smiled back.

Krystal licked her lips, then she bit her lower one with a coquettish smile. "I enjoyed myself last night." She wiggled her rump against his crotch, and she felt … exactly what she expected. "Well, _hello_ there, Mr. Flight Stick."

Fox chortled softly. "Let's not give it nicknames. That's kind of weird."

"Fine by me. So, you don't have any regrets?"

"Not in the least," said McCloud. He draped an arm around her waist and nuzzled his nose into her hair, until it touched the nape of her neck. "I thought we were going to wait until marriage … but … I'm glad we didn't." Fox offered her a playful sort of pat on her hip. At least … playful for his personality and archetype. "What I mean is, I enjoyed myself, too. A lot. I hope we can do it again."

"And more often?" Krystal rolled over to face him, so that she was lying on her left hip. She brushed her nose against his.

Fox's smile brightened. "Yes, more often would be great." He kissed her nose with a wry grin. "Anything with you is just mind-blowing. Maybe it's because it was my first time with a telepath, or maybe it's just because I never felt this way about anyone else before."

She brushed his nose with hers again. "I agree."

"With what?"

"All of it," she said. "Romance more often. Mind-blowing romance. Having feelings and being so … incredibly in love. All of the above. It was like a drug. I'm going to wind up having a Fox McCloud addiction."

Fox's eyes dipped, looking over her body.

Krystal grinned, waited until his eyes were pointed down, then quickly did the same in return. She licked her lips, discretely, and sat up.

"Not this morning, though, huh?"

"We should make up a little time for sleeping in. But there is definitely time, later, for more fun." She reached for her bag and pulled a clean outfit free. One that was form fitting but not terribly stifling. "Besides, I need to walk a bit, first … maybe that will get my organs back to where they belong."

Her outfit consisted of a pair of shorts, a vest-shirt, and a flowing light-material silver jacket with double pockets on each side.

"Fun later, huh? Good," he said with a decidedly confident and cocky smile. "I like how you shower me in all these compliments."

"I like that you can take no for an answer."

"You're worth the wait."

"Mm, good answer." She pulled a pair of panties and bra from the bag, put them on her body, then the shorts and silver-and-green vest, followed by the jacket. She reached back, ran her paws back through her hair to put it on the outside of the jacket collar, and stood up. She slid her foot-paws into her shoes and touched her engagement ring to make sure it was safe and sound on her finger.

Meanwhile, Fox got up, grabbed his gear, and dressed in the same outfit he wore the day before – work pants and a sleeveless shirt, with a gear vest overtop to provide pockets.

"You are such a boy."

"Yup."

Krystal stretched until popping a few joints – shoulders, hips, lower back, and neck. She fixed her bangs with her fingers, licked her lips, and turned to face her lover. "Ready when you are, Fox."

Fox cleared his throat but ignored the nickname. "Oh, I'm ready. Y'know, I think I love watching you get dressed almost as much as I love watching you get _un_dressed."

A sassy grin tugged at the corner of her muzzle, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she turned to her other clothes, still in a pile on the floor, and picked them up. She folded her outfit and put it into her gear bag. She sealed the bag shut, stood up straight, and shouldered it, then glanced over her shoulder. "Where you just staring at my ass?"

Fox chuckled. "What if I was?"

She chuckled in return with a grin. "If I'd asked you that yesterday, you'd have turned red and stuttered all over yourself."

"Well, today, I'm happy to announce that, yes, I was, in fact, staring at your backside. The shorts look great. Then again, so did the bodysuit you wore yesterday."

"Mm. Your physique is pleasing to the eye as well. It is probably why teenage girls bought posters of you for their bedroom walls after you defeated Andross the first time."

Fox pursed his lips, cleared his throat, and swallowed the awkward lump in his throat. "How did you know about that?"

Krystal laughed. "Falco still had a few posters left in the stock room of the old Great Fox." As an afterthought, she added, "It really is a shame the extra posters burned up with the destruction of Great Fox on the Aparoid home-world."

"Wait … did _you_ have one in _your_ quarters? I never saw it, if you did."

Krystal grinned brightly. "I did. You'd have known that if you ever came into my _bedroom_."

"I … never went past your living room," said Fox.

"Mm-hmm, exactly." Her grin broadened, and she added, "I had one in my locker, as well. But now I have the real thing, and I can see the goods _without_ the mercenary uniform getting in the way."

Fox shook his head with a chuckle. "I never knew. Wait … did Falco know?"

"Good god, no. I just took them from the stockroom. And don't you dare tell Falco, either."

"Wouldn't dream of it. So, how'd you know they belonged to Falco, anyhow?"

"I discretely asked Peppy about them, and he laughed and told me Falco was capitalizing off an image of you and another image of the two of you together. I, of course, only put up the poster of _you_."

Fox grinned impishly. "Well, that's a relief."

"I don't have my posters anymore. So, every time I open my locker, you're going to have to pose for me without a shirt."

Fox laughed. "Oh, am I, now?"

"Yes. That'll make me smile when I get into my flight gear."

"Well, if we cohabitate, it'll be easy to get ready together, like that."

"Such a fancy word for sharing a bedroom."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. Fine, then. Let's move in together."

Krystal offered him a playful smile. "You know, you boys should do Fireman style calendars. The team is still relevant for saving Lylat from the Aparoids. All the women who bought those posters back in the day have grown up; they'll have office jobs or work in cubicles. That's a perfect place for a calendar. I could make arrangements to find a photographer and…"

Fox lifted his paws. "Whoa, whoa, slow down. Let's not market the team's sexuality. I want to be taken seriously by the military and by local governments on planets around the system. How about we just … shelf that idea for the moment."

Krystal chuckled. "All right. But it's basically free money. Think about it."

"All right, I will."

"Because if you don't capitalize on it, Falco probably will. And then you don't get a say in how you appear."

Fox chuckled. "I really don't feel like getting an agent, but … well, you might be right. Still, let's revisit that conversation another time. Besides, you'd have to do a sexy pinup pic, too."

Krystal laughed. "What makes you think I'd _not_ be okay with that?"

"Okay, now we're _definitely not_ doing it." Fox grinned.

Krystal mirrored his grin. "_You_ could be my photographer. We could get creative, you know, and keep the best ones for ourselves."

"Again, let's shelf that idea. Just for now. And, hey, show me where the bathrooms are in this place."

"Of course. Let's take down the emergency blankets from the windows, first. Then we'll both head downstairs together."

Without warning, the temple shook from a distant rumbling. Dust wafted down from the ceiling, making the moon and stars windows in the ceiling turn into dusty pillars of light.

Fox grimaced. "_That_ … felt like a distant explosion or a weapon's impact." He lifted his gauntlet on his forearm and pressed a button. "Peppy, you there?"

Peppy's voice came over the line without delay. "_Fox, I've been patched in all along. Not sure what the rumble was, but I felt it, too_."

Fox swallowed. His mouth felt dry. "How, uh … much did you hear?"

Peppy scoffed over the line. "_Oh, grow up, Fox. We're all adults, here_."

Krystal shrugged. "Awkward, but I'm bloody well sure that Peppy can respect his godson popping 'round for a bit of _how's your father_ with the woman to whom he's engaged." She cleared her throat, leaned in closer to Fox's wrist, and added, "You seem gentlemanly, Peppy. I trust you turned down the volume, then?"

"_Yeah, actually_" Peppy replied firmly. "_I turned the volume down last night, because you two deserve your privacy. And, for the record, I think the sexy calendar idea is a _great_ way to promote the team's presence. Just … not me. I'm a married man. Hell, I'm an _old_ man. But, hey, Fox … forget an agent – just have Krystal handle the team's image. She'll keep it tasteful; she'll be a good gauge as to what the average Lylat woman wants to see. Trust her judgement_."

Krystal smirked in silence.

"_You'll want a gay guy to be your photographer. They're supposed to be who the supermodels trust_."

Krystal laughed in delight. "Falco is a jock. A fighter jock and a gamer jock, but a jock never-the-less. Do you think he'd be comfortable with that?"

Peppy scoffed. "_We tell him to suck it up_!"

Fox face-palmed with a blank expression. "Okay, okay. We're tabling that conversation for later, remember? Do you know where the point of origin is for whatever caused the disturbance?"

"_Afraid not. Contact Slippy or ROB. That fancy new carrier will have recorded the incident on its sensor_s."

"Copy that, Pep. I'm glad it wasn't anything that involved you, directly."

Peppy chuckled. "_Trust me, I'd have told you if I dropped a bomb on Andrew. All right, go ahead and hit up Slippy. I'll stay patched in_."

"All right, Pep." Fox opened a channel to the new carrier ship, and said, "Slippy, ROB, whoever – this is Fox…"

"_Hiya, Fox! We were just looking at some sort of energy disturbance in your area. Roughly three miles from Peppy's location, and about four miles from yours. Not sure what caused it, but we don't see any craters on the scans. No signs of impact, no smoke or fire … not sure what caused it, but ROB hypothesizes that it may have taken place underground_."

Fox sighed. "Great. I hope Andrew isn't trying to separate Miracle."

"_Let's hope not_!" Slippy replied. "_We'll keep looking into it from up here. I'll send coordinates to you for the epicenter of the disturbance if you want to check it out_."

"Rodger that. Thanks, Slippy."

"_Glad to help! Keep me in the loop! Slippy – out_!"

Fox turned to Krystal. "Well, we're back on the clock."

"We're salary – we were never off the clock."

Fox chuckled. "I love how you've grown accustomed to Lylat expressions in such a short time with us."

Krystal replied with a playful wink.

"Shall we?"

She nodded in response. "Lead the way, my lead-stallion."

Fox grinned at her. "Stallion, huh?"

"I, uh … don't know where that came from." She tucked a lock of hair back behind her ear. "But it still applies – lead the way."

Fox carefully pried the emergency blankets from each window, packed them, shouldered his gear, and headed for the hallway with the stairs.

He followed Krystal to the bathrooms, and they helped each other up onto the shoulder height potties.

Afterward, Fox took point, leading her out of the temple the way they came. They made small talk the entire rest of the way through the palace.

It didn't take long to emerge outside.

He glanced at his gauntlet readout and headed across the ruins with Krystal at his side.

The buildings were impressive. The architecture was modern, perhaps even a touch futuristic by Cornerian standards. There were _some_ plants growing up the walls, like ivy, but for the most part, the buildings were clear of any debris, and looked barren inside and out.

The streets were paved in most areas, and they were constructed of brickwork stones in a few areas. There were cracks where weeds had grown up through the paving, but it was immediately apparent that the overgrowth was once a great deal worse before Miracle lost its atmosphere the first time around, a long time ago.

The current ivy, weeds, and other growth in the area was roughly several years old at most.

The buildings around them were set in a grid of road infrastructure, and the tastefully artsy designs of the architecture had slopes above windows, sharp lines around doorways, and elegant roofs with carvings where pillars met rooftop overhangs. Most of the columns were fluted and had carved flourishes at the top, where they met the roofing.

Occasionally, there would be a building with fading signage over the front entrance. Some of the signage appeared to have empty cavities set into the signs, where, presumably, it was designed to be backlit.

Fox stared at one particular sign in passing, where runic looking letters had been recessed, with, likely, glass filling, so that whatever light source had been installed in the sign, the lettering would have glowed.

Krystal ran a paw through the locks of her cerulean strands. "Is it me or … could it be _possible_ that modern Cornerians had once been influenced by Krazoan designs?" She cleared her throat and tried to reexplain herself. "I guess, what I mean to say, is, perhaps the Krazoa had contact with Cornerians, and they left an impression on Cornerian architecture, leading Cornerians to mimic this style?"

Fox shook his head. "Cornerians never used stuff that looked like this until the cusp of interstellar travel. Within the past eighty years. I mean, sure we had signage outside of stores that looked like this, but that's just economy 101 … make store signage something that has presence, functionality, and simplicity. I guess it's just ingrained in basic logic for sentient species."

Krystal rubbed her chin. "You might be right. Come to think of it, even Cerinian stores used backlit signage. Been that way for as long as I can tell."

"It's kind of neat to see that the Krazoa were the same as the rest of us. They just figured it out sooner; we all came to a lot of the same conclusions about how to maintain our society."

The two foxes continued in the direction of the disturbance until there was a building with a large wall behind it. The foliage of tall trees could be seen beyond the wall, but most of the tallest trees were dead and had no leaves. Only a little bit of greenery dotted the landscape beyond the high wall.

Fox turned around and looked back at the city ruins behind him, then back at the lone building in front of him. "C'mon, follow me."

Krystal followed her mate inside the building.

The entrance was plain and un-special. There seemed to be a wraparound counter adjacent to the front door, but there was little more to suggest it was used for anything important. There was no chair, there was nothing on the counter save for dust.

She followed Fox through the room, down a large main corridor up ahead. They didn't get far before the hallway opened up into a massive room connecting similar shops, like the one from which they came.

"Some sort of mall?" Fox wondered aloud.

Up ahead was a concrete and metal staircase going beneath the ground.

On a nearby wall was a large empty circle with a black metallic ring set into the concrete.

Fox shook his head with a sigh. "Another unpowered teleportation portal, I'm sure."

"Shall we see what is beneath us?" Krystal gestured to the stairs. "They look extremely solid."

Fox nodded. "Couldn't hurt. If I was Andrew, hiding from my enemies, I would want to be underground."

Krystal followed Fox down the steps. They both used flashlights on their blasters to illuminate the area.

Up ahead, there were devices that _appeared_ to look quite similar to Cornerian-style turnstiles. The mechanisms were long corroded and locked into place. Krystal ducked beneath while Fox hoped over.

On the other side, they continued down a flight of steps.

At the bottom of the large concrete and metal staircase was what could only be described as a subway tunnel.

"I'll be damned," whispered Fox. "This is a mass transit system."

Krystal feigned a smile. "Yes, and it runs in the direction of the explosion we saw. We are certainly headed in the right direction."

Fox raised his left arm and touched a button on his computerized gauntlet. "Peppy, we found an underground transit station. There are signs but they're too faded to read anymore. We're taking a tunnel in the direction of the incident."

Peppy's voice replied, sounding distant and staticky. "_Fox…? You're …-ing up bad. Range is … and the … with the … Stay safe_!"

"Rodger that. Breaking up bad from poor range, due to operating underground. Staying safe. Be well, old man. See you soon. Fox out."

Krystal frowned. "I guess we're on our own for a bit."

"Yeah, guess so. At least we're well rested. At least I know I am."

She grinned in reply. "Best sleep I've ever had on a field rack."

Fox returned her grin. "Good." His grin broadened a bit. "But we didn't sleep on a field rack."

"Don't be daft, you know what I meant … a bed in the field, then, yeah? Anyway, I've been thinking…"

"Yeah? What about, hon?"

She offered a slight smile in the dark. She liked being called 'hon' and whatever else he might call her since their night together. She cleared her throat. "Well, maybe the reason I've been thinking so much about motherhood is because I'm looking around at this … this extinct civilization, and it's making me internalize on my own situation."

"Let's survive this job, first, then we'll focus on making sure Cerinia isn't forgotten."

"I appreciate that. I'll try to stay focused in the meantime." She waved her light about, looking at the interior of the large beautiful tracks. Only … the tracks didn't exist. There were just rectangular ruts in the ground every three meters apart.

Fox lowered to a knee and held his gauntlet out in front of himself. "Oh, this is wild."

"What is it?"

"Magnetic levitation. Two-thousand-year-old mag-lev tracks. I can feel a very slight force pushing up on my gauntlet and blaster. It naturally repels metal, but there's no electricity to power the magnets under our feet."

Krystal nodded firmly in understanding. "They were advanced enough to teleport through wavering purple ponds. They were advanced enough to split a planet apart without destroying it, and without destroying the atmosphere. And the technology worked on the first try without testing or preventative maintenance for the machinery, two thousand years after being designed and implemented. I'd say the Krazoa were the most impressive aliens I've ever heard of so far. No offense to the rest of Lylat, of course."

"Yeah, none taken … I'm impressed, too. And leave it up to people like Andross and Andrew to wanna figure out ways to weaponize their legacies."

Krystal again smiled slightly in the darkness. She pointed her flashlight at his feet. "You want to protect their legacy. That's sweet."

"Well, first and foremost, I want to protect Lylat. I kind of like living here. I'd like to think you've come to call it home, too. If I ever hang up my blaster and have a kid, I'd hope that people who think like Andrew and his uncle won't have the ability to militarize third world planets like Venom anymore."

Krystal lifted her light and looked around at the architecture of the tunnel. "Do you ever wonder how things would have been if the Oikonny and Bowman line chose not to act the way they did?"

Fox shrugged. "You mean if Andross didn't kill my mother, lose his sanity, and wage interstellar warfare over his beef with John Pepper?"

"Could you imagine it, Fox? Andrew would sit on social media and complain about his entitled lifestyle and mediocre wealth beneath a rich scientist uncle and an ultra-motivated aunt with a CEO position. Meanwhile, Andross would have a manifesto, wind up getting arrested for causing civil unrest when he tries to overthrow a local government."

"Yeah," Fox agreed, adding, "Because someone like Andross doesn't want to put the hard work into getting elected, instead." He pointed his light forward and continued into the gloom. After a moment, Fox realized that his shadow was stretching out in front of him. A wry grin tugged at the corners of his muzzle. "Are you … pointing your light on my tail?"

"Oh, am I? Oops." Her playful tone punctuated her wanton flirting. "I know, I know. Time and place. It's just … we've been an item for a while now, and I finally _feel_ _betrothed_ to you. I'm just enjoying that aspect. I'll keep it between us."

Fox chuckled. "Oh, no, I _like it_, trust me. I like that you know how to mix work with play. The rest of my team is all play and _some_ work. Peppy was always all work and little play. I like that you know how to balance it."

"I like that you're opening up to being playful. Up until now, you've been all work and _no_ play."

"It's how I was raised. My father's idea of fooling around was memorizing the Cornerian Constitution, then belching it in a recital so I would impress his war buddies. The belching felt like I had a childhood, but I was still a preteen that had to memorize an entire document of laws. I'll work on finding real balance," Fox said with a hint of promise in his tone.

"I'll hold you to that. I like that we have chemistry, I just never get to see it unless we're in a small room with all the doors locked. But last night? That was … very special to me. Thank you, Fox."

"I, uh…" He trailed off and thought of a way to say something that would be genuine and sweet, and not sound like a typical mercenary. He licked his lips, searching for how to word his bottled emotions. "I'm really honored to have been your first. You chose me, and I'll never forget that, Krystal."

She responded with a soft smile. "If you keep treating me like you are right now, you can be my second, third, and my fourth as well. Maybe we'll even reach that number before we leave Miracle."

Fox grinned with a hint of blush burning at his cheeks. He was glad it was dark. However, instead of choking on words, he relaxed his posture and, without thinking about it, he replied, "Go ahead and also mark me down for your fifth time, all the way up through your hundredth time. I'm good for it."

She reached a free paw up and patted the side of his face. "I truly look forward to it."

"You and me both," he replied.

"In the meantime," she said in a playful tone, "I will point my flashlight at you from behind, so I can appreciate what's mine."

"Oh, is that right?" Fox's gauntlet chirped from an incoming call. "Shoot, hold on."

She remained quiet.

He touched a receive button.

Peppy's holographic image appeared from the shoulders to his ears.

"_Fox_!" Peppy's voice was a bit tinny. "_After ai lost the call, you disappeared from my sensors for a few minutes. I can see you again. Are you guys all right_?"

"Yeah, we must finally be under a section with no buildings above us. We're underground checking out this old Mag-Lev transit system."

"_All right, good to hear. Conditions were ripe for a storm to form, faster than fog on a windshield, and it's a bad one. Rain is coming down so hard that it's causing mudslides_."

Fox blinked. "What?! We were _just_ on the surface less than twenty minutes ago, and the skies were clear. Is it on the other side of the moon?"

"_No, in your location. Small moon means quick storms show up and can cover most of Miracle's surface with ease. It's raining so hard that your initial landing zone is completely flooded already. If you're underground, expect that mess to drain into those tunnels. I'm surprised it hasn't already_."

Fox looked around. He turned his gaze back to Peppy. "Don't jinx us, Pep. It's dry as a bone down here."

"_You're the one that will jinx yourself with talk like that_."

"Peppy … I'm telling you, there's no flooding down here. Maybe there's sewage or drainage designed into these tunnels. I don't know. Maybe this was common weather back in the old days for the Krazoa that lived here. Anyhow, I'll take precautions. Thanks for the head's up."

"_All right, Fox. I'll let you know if anything changes_."

McCloud ended the call. He turned to Krystal with a shrug. "I guess we got down here just in time."

"Let's hope his worries don't materialize. He sounded rather concerned. It must be serious."

"Well, for now, let's keep moving."

She replied with a firm nod of her head and fell into step alongside of him. "I wonder if we'll find the transit car for this tunnel."

"I'd love to see one. I love vehicles of any kind. I'm curious about the design."

She replied with a wry grin. "Such a 'boy' thing to say. I doubt they hot-rodded their trains."

Fox shrugged. "I still hope it looks cool."

The two foxes continued walking through the large empty transit tunnel. Their voices echoed off the walls while they walked and talked together.

After a while of walking, Krystal paused and tilted her head. She listened to the sounds at the end of the tunnel and held her breath, briefly. "I hear the rain," she announced.

"We're almost out of here, huh?"

"To wherever the tunnel connects. Which, I suppose, is good, because it means that this ancient tunnel has gone two thousand years without collapsing."

Fox pointed his light to the left, where an intersecting tunnel passed through the area. "Which way?"

Krystal cocked her head and cupped her paw behind her ear. "We keep straight. I look forward to exploring the other directions, but…"

Fox cleared his throat to interrupt her. He pointed his light to the right with a grin. "That way _did_ collapse."

Krystal pointed her own light down the right tunnel. "Oh. So it has." She pointed her light down the left tunnel. "But that one seems clear." She cut the light back to the blockage and offered her mate a wry grin. "But it's not _completely blocked_. Just partially blocked. Look, there, we could easily go around the partial collapse. But a Mag-Lev train, no."

They continued forward in the original direction. After another moment, there was light up ahead at the end of the tunnel. The sound of rain grew louder, echoing off the tunnel walls.

Krystal quickened her footsteps and Fox followed her, protectively. She came to a stairwell and proceeded up the stairs. It was wide enough for accommodating more than a hundred people at one time, but not large enough for a bustling city like Cornerian Capital City.

The steps concluded in what would have once been a _beautiful_ terminal station area. The overgrowth had climbed up the concrete walls, pillars, ticket station, concession areas, and the cracked tile floors, but rain poured in through broken skylights, and pooled on the ground.

Rain runoff flowed toward the main entrance, where the doors were missing. The roar of rain could be heard outside and through the missing windows above.

Krystal pointed her blaster's light around the area. "One would think this was something out of Corneria or Cerinia's own past … just older."

"And for taller people," said Fox. He pointed to a concession booth counter. "That's as high as we stand."

"Mm, true." She nodded in agreement. "Good eye."

"Yup."

She pointed her lights at a few wall benches and a section of booth's counter that was much lower. "For Cerinian people? I mean, we know they had computers in my language, and control rooms with benches our size."

"Krystal, that's probably why you and I are compatible. At some point, our ancestors all worked for the Krazoa."

Krystal grinned at him. "Which is, perhaps, why you and I could operate Krazoan tech on Sauria. As I recall, Fox, there were tunnels, hallways, and sewer ways that were tall enough for us, but not for a Krazoan."

"Very true."

She waved her light around the area, just taking it all in. "Incredible."

Fox rubbed the nape of his neck, massaging it from the way he'd slept on the ground the night before. "I was in awe of the Krazoa the first time I saw the ruins of Sauria, but … it seems like they were just like us in a lot of ways, too. Normal people. Traveling. Doing things. Buying food and drinks…" He nodded to the booth across the room, once more.

Krystal's grin broadened. "Mm, if that _is_, indeed, a concession stand. Yes, that is what it looks like to us. It is our logic that assumes the use of that booth. But, maybe not. It could have been a place to buy…" She rubbed her chin and thought about her time on Sauria. "…Cheat tokens. They might not have used the strange well system, yet."

Fox laughed. "Pretty sure that was a dinosaur thing."

"I'm sure you're right. But you know what I mean. Just because it looks like a place to grab a bite doesn't mean it was."

"I suppose you're right. Makes you wonder if their society was hung up on hobbies, junk food, and bitching about one another … like ours."

Krystal chuckled. "_My_ society wasn't. We didn't have memes, we didn't have much in the way of junk food, and there was no 'bitching' about one another. Everyone already knew how I felt about them, and I knew how they felt about me. Deceit was an odd custom, in a manner of speaking. I cannot help but wonder if the Krazoa could communicate with one another in a similar fashion, or if they spoke."

"Telepathy sounds like it would make society very different."

Krystal shrugged. "My people didn't have poetry or musical lyrics the way yours does. Art was quite different, as there were rarely individual artists the way Lylat is used to. There were no rich inventors – everyone added their ideas; communities worked together to come up with important inventions, and no one could claim that another stole their idea. Each city and each nation was it's own communal group. And, over time, even those walls fell, thanks to my parents and other likes them. Before long, we became a global race."

Fox pursed his lips together. "Yeah, that would be weird to me."

Krystal smiled softly. "Individuality was seen as a color or hue to make the collective consciousness. I was a purple flower in a meadow where every flower's color was different, or, at the very least, different hues of a handful of colors. You had your red flower people, you know? And some were pink, some were dark blood color. You had your blue people, whose personalities ranged from aqua colored to dark indigo, with everything else in between – navy blue, cobalt, cyan, such and so-forth."

Fox rubbed his chin. "How are you adapting to being your own individual?"

"I love it and I hate it. I've always adored having 'me' time, and now I have that all the time, even when I'm with people. It's why I signed up for exploration missions and trained to become a pilot – and that turned into the reason why I wasn't on the planet when the surface became fully uninhabitable. But … having full time individuality for myself? It comes at a price … the ultimate loneliness. I very well may be the _last_ Cerinian being in existence. I certainly hope not, but … it's possible. And that? Well, that's terrifying to me. It means I'm the last of my kind. And, one day, I want to mother a child. I want to mother multiple children if possible. What about you?"

Fox rubbed his chin scruff. "My dad did a pretty awesome job. My mom was really great while I had her in my life. I'd like to think I'd be a great father. And by the time it happens, Lylat will be safe."

"What if it happened tomorrow? I'm not saying I'm pregnant after last night, but … I need to know you wouldn't freak out."

Fox moved a bit closer and put a paw on her shoulder. "I wouldn't freak out. I promise. Does this mean you prefer _not_ to use contraceptives going forward?"

"I would never want to, no. I'm the last of my kind. Any child I have would be wanted. You can't have 'an accident' if you want any child that comes along, even if the timing is inconvenient."

Fox nodded firmly. "I understand. It's sort of a … 'let fate decide for it to happen when it happens' – that sorta thing, right?"

She nodded emphatically. "Yes, exactly." A smile spread across her muzzle. "I'm glad you understand my situation."

"I appreciate it. I respect it. And if something happens? Well, all I ask is that we consider getting married before the kid is born. Peppy kinda' instilled these traditional ideas in my head, you know?"

Krystal glanced away as the two crossed the ancient over-grown tram-station. "I've read up on the basics of Lylat cultures. I understand the concept and stigma of the 'bastardized soul.' I can respect and appreciate the concept – wanting to make sure your children have parents, both if possible, in the child's life. If I am to become pregnant, you will be the first to know, quick as you like, and a preacher will be the second to know. Agreed?"

Fox smiled. He'd never thought about doing the family thing, especially not without long drawn-out planning. But … there was something wholesome about the idea, the very notion, of having a safe star system and raising children in it. He reached for her paw and interlaced his fingers with her own. "I can't protect Lylat when I'm old. I need a trainee to pass on the legacy."

"I would love to give you a son or daughter to keep Lylat safe, one day. And so I can pass on my culture and legacy, as well." Krystal felt her heart pounding in her chest. She was delighted, excited, and quietly overjoyed. She felt like she found the right man and a way to bring back a small piece of Cerinia. "We, uh," she trailed off, cleared her throat, and said, "…we should look at finances and a brick-and-mortar house one day."

"Definitely. And don't worry, I have some savings put aside from when Star Fox won the war for Corneria. Finances? Yeah, we'll be okay, no matter what happens. Even if it happened tomorrow."

"I'm glad to hear it, Fox." More like _delighted_… "I trust you have this handled. And I'll trust in the decisions you make on the matter."

"Thanks. I won't let'cha down."

"I'm sure you won't."

Fox gave her paw a gentle squeeze. And, just like that, the rain, outside, stopped all at once.

She returned the affectionate gesture of squeezing his paw, and the. She followed him to the main exit. They approached the empty doorway where two large doors were missing, and she looked out into an overgrown modernized city with modernized architecture, but there were no signs of vehicles or road infrastructure.

Instead, the layout suggested that everyone walked or used teleportation pads. The buildings were far enough apart to support a squadron of speeder bikes, but the apparent idea of Krazoan streets was akin to wide alleys.

Fox stuffed his blaster into his holster, thumbed the switch to deactivate the light, and reached up to rub his chin. "Well, it kind of looks like one giant sidewalk."

"_Side_ … walk." Krystal eyed him with a wry grin. She flipped the switch on her flashlight and put her blaster into a holster on her hip.

Fox chuckled. "Yeah, okay, you're right. I guess the proper term would be … walkway, since everywhere looks like a walkway. I like how the ground between buildings is all grassy."

"My culture used to use individual vehicles the way Corneria still does. We had interstates, highways, byways … and then, around the time that my parents were children, the single-use vehicle and family vehicle went extinct. Instant travel became preferred. We used mass transit for travel beyond the range of local teleporters. But to get across town, you would teleport to the travel hub at the center of a town, and then take the next teleporter pad to, say, work … the shopping center, things like that."

Fox glanced down at where he still held her paw. "How'd you transport a large cart of groceries or … say, like, some lumber from the hardware store?"

"Transporting goods was hard on the power grid, and it used more resources than necessary, so you would have your shopping goods delivered to your home with a courier service. So, large transactions kept delivery services in business. They delivered using vehicles – using the infrastructure of my grandparents' era. Large groups of children were also transported to learning facilities – schools. They took vehicles very similar to a Cornerian school bus. Because our society was used to instantly arriving at hubs or at our destination, it was considered, well, _fun_ to travel by buses."

Fox chuckled and shook his head. "Do you have pictures or videos of home?"

Krystal laughed. "You're only _just_ asking about that? Of course I do. Plenty of them. They're loaded on the data storage computers for my old shuttle. Not just ones that I've taken, but ones that were downloaded off my world's version of the internet. The files are packed onto a data capsule. I guess 'packed' isn't the right word, but … they're condensed to fit as much data as possible onto the capsule."

"I understand."

Krystal smiled. She gestured to the ancient overgrown city that stretched out before the two, and said, "Shall we explore … I mean … look for Andrew?"

Fox grinned at her and repeated something she'd said to him several times recently. "Let's."

She replied with an impish grin of amusement.

X

* * *

X

_Hours later_…

**Krystal traced her fingertips over the** delicate marblework carved into the front of stairs, which led up to a fabulous tower of unknown meaning. Each step depicted fifteen inches of various stories or possibly Krazoan history. The top two steps were about twenty inches in height with excessively beautiful sculpting work.

She looked over her shoulder at the city all around the tower, but the nearest building was half a mile in any given direction. She stood up tall on the top two steps and turned to face Fox. "Why do you suppose there is so much real estate surrounding this tower?"

Fox surmised, "Respect. Deep respect for its meaning to the Krazoa. Whatever this tower meant to them, it was given a wide birth and the grounds were kept in really good condition."

"_Immaculate_ condition," she agreed. "I have never seen anything so…" She shook her head, at a loss for words. She took a deep breath, followed by a soft sigh. "These stairs are quite the reminder that the Krazoa were _really_ tall."

"Yeah, no kidding. And you're right. There's nothing on Sauria like _this_."

"That we saw."

"True."

Krystal feigned a slight smile. "You know, you're a surprisingly intelligent man."

"You mean … for a mercenary?"

"Well, yes, but in general. I never get to see this side of your mind. Only the shrewd and calculating side that shows itself in battle. But this side of you? It's refreshing."

Fox returned her slight smile. "Yeah? Looking at things and figuring out how people work is what I do. It's the reason I'm able to survive in different fields of battle, whether on the ground, in a tank or sub, in the sky or stars … it's just what I do. I look at something, assess it from various perspectives, figure it out, and act accordingly. Y'know, I've seen some amazing defenses, and Sauria has proof of amazing Krazoan technology that could be used to attack _or_ defend if necessary … but here … it's different. There's more culture. It's almost like … a cultural center compared to Sauria."

"What're you thinking, Fox? You're hard to read right now."

"I'm thinking that Sauria was where they planned to live when splitting the planet into arks, and it's where they farmed. But all their cultural stuff, all their religious stuff, all their historical stuff, and all the stuff they wanted to protect? It was _here_, and … possibly on the moon that crashed into Sauria to make Moon Mountain Pass. And, at least at some point, this moon is where they lived, shopped, and raised their families."

"Your theories really surprise me, but they seem plausible to me."

Fox offered her a confident smile. "Yeah, I'm not just a pretty face."

Krystal laughed with a shake of her head. "Uh-huh. Oh, you're a pretty face all right, Fox McCloud." She approached a large entrance with a massive metallic door. "Now, let's figure out how to open this, shall we?"

Fox nodded firmly in agreement. "Let's," he said with a grin.

"Okay, you're teasing me for using that word."

"I'm teasing you because I like you."

She beamed with delight. "All right, pretty boy. Open this tower for me without blowing it up."

"Challenge accepted." Fox cracked his knuckles, then stretched them, causing his fingerless gloves to creek softly. "I may need your staff, considering how useful it was on Sauria, but I'll be happy to do any grunt work."

Krystal laughed again. "Now you're just trying to appeal to my headstrong-yet-effeminate side."

"You have one of those?"

"Mm, you probably can't tell because I also have that side of myself that I showed you last night." She bit her lower lip with a somewhat coy smile.

Fox melted, figuratively, on the ground tiles. He cleared his throat and licked his lips. "Uh, yeah, so…"

She withdrew her staff, extended it to full length, and gave it a twirl. "I was kidding about you opening this door for me, love."

"Wait, you were?"

"I was." She pointed the staff at the doors and used a flame technique similar to how Fox utilized Prince Tricky's fire-breath. She heated the doors for a moment.

Fox backed away to a safe distance.

Krystal sprinted toward the doors, put her boot on the door frame, boosted herself upward, then brought her staff down and struck the ground in front of the doorway.

The marble cracked down the steps to the tiled ground.

She dropped to a crouch, tossed her locks back from her face, and stood up. She turned to the doors once more and took several steps back. She pointed her staff at them and used the ice-blast feature, but only just enough to cool the doors.

"What'd all _that_ do?"

"Warm up the doorway and tracks, shake the things a bit loose, then cool the doors, themselves, while leaving the tracks heated. Expansion of the tracks followed by slight shrinkage of the doors. They should be cool enough, now."

Fox tilted his head. "This I've gotta see."

Krystal pushed the head of her staff between the two massive doors, and, with a grunt, she leveraged them apart. "Thing is," she grunted, adding, "Andrew wouldn't have come this way. Else there would be signs he opened these already."

"Yeah. That part sucks."

"It does, yes," she agreed with another grunt. She continued to leverage the doors apart, until, finally, they rumbled on their tracks and slid apart. Krystal grit her teeth and shouted through clenched molars. She tensed her body and put all of her weight into leveraging the staff pole.

"Jeeze, you're going to bend it!"

"H'ngh!" she replied in a loud tone, forcing the doors apart until there was enough room for a person to get through.

"Okay, okay. I'm impressed! Sheesh." Fox chuckled nervously. "With the staff for not bending, I mean. You put some serious leverage on it."

Krystal doubled over, panting softly. She dropped the pole at her feet with a clang, and she braced her palms on her knees. She squatted for a moment, lowering her center mass, until she found her breath.

"You okay?"

"Never better," she breathed without any tone. Then, meekly, "Cheers."

"Show off."

"Hot dogger," she corrected with a tired grin. "I am _all_ that is woman."

"Yeah, I can see that."

She slumped onto her rump, leaning up against the right door, still panting. "I'm amazing, I know." She gently thumped her head back against the surface, took a deep breath, and held it for a few seconds. She released that breath, slowly, and repeated herself until she controlled her breathing. "I don't see Falco down here opening doors for the famous celebrity mercenary – Fox McCloud. I mean, shoot, I'd give me a raise after that display."

Fox chuckled. "Done! Twenty-five percent more, starting now. You know, I like getting to know this side of you. It's like Falco's video game – achievement unlocked!"

"You 'unlocked' me all right. My father used to call me a 'pistol.' Now you get to see it."

"I like it. A lot."

"Good. There's no going back. You're seeing the full-real-me, now."

"I look forward to marrying you. You ready?"

Krystal's face brightened. "To tie the knot? Sure! I guess! Ready as I'll ever be," she replied with a firm nod. She snatched her staff from the ground and reached a paw upward.

Fox took her by the forearm and lifted her to a standing position. "Guns out."

Krystal holstered her staff, withdrew her blaster, and said, "You should scan the area for molds and mildews before we go in there and try breathing that stuff."

Fox nodded firmly and reached his gauntlet through the doors. He did an area scan for toxins and waited for the computer to chime. "Thanks for reminding me this time. I didn't have to blast a hole in these doors, either."

"You're leveling up, Fox."

He drew his forearm back and looked down at the display. "I guess, uh, because this moon had no atmosphere for a few years, it killed whatever mildew and mold had been in this structure. But, according to this scan, it goes straight _down_."

"Well, that's … something. Let's check it out."

"I'm not going to lie, that was impressive, prying apart those two multi-ton doors with only your staff."

Krystal chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. The _Legend of Krystal_. All Sharpclaw fear me for I am the mightiest mammal. They snuffle in fear." She put the staff on her back, pushed her beaded bangs from her face, and pointed her flashlight-mounted blaster in through the doors, lighting up the darkness beyond.

Fox opened a channel to Peppy, causing Hare's holographic head to appear above Fox's wrist. "Hey, just checking in." He stepped in first, holding his own lit blaster in front of himself. "We found our way through a Mag-Lev tunnel, and, at the center of a residential sector, we found a tower with a tunnel beneath it. Krystal got the doors open. We scanned the interior and it's safe … breathable air. We're going to explore."

"_All right, Fox! You'd better stay safe. Hey, Krystal! How're you holding up_?"

Krystal followed Fox through the doors. She opened her muzzle to reply, but without warning, the massive doors slammed shut with a thud. Krystal dove forward, put her paws on the floor, and rolled through. She stood up, whirled about, and pointed her light back at the doors. "My God, they could've crushed me!"

Peppy exhaled, followed by a grandfatherly shake of his head. "_You could've been a Krystal Sandwich_."

Krystal rolled her eyes. "Oh, leave me alone, so I can enjoy my sandwich, _General_ Hare."

Fox shook his head. "She's a _legend_, Pep. But she definitely almost learned the greatest question of all – do we see a creator or are we reborn?"

Peppy chuckled. "_The Legend of Krystal – Rebirth_."

"All right, all right," Krystal said with a shake of her head. "Let's get moving."

Peppy cleared his throat. "_Okay, I have the feed from your scanning app, Fox! Keep it streaming. Stay safe. I'm sending you a thing I've been trying to investigate. I want you to check it out. It's somewhere in your general vicinity_."

"What?" Fox furrowed his brows. "What're you talking about?"

"_There's something weird in the air, here. You're close to the source. I sent you the coordinates. You'll get the data file after we close this call. Take care, Fox_!"

"Sandwiches are on me, later," said Krystal.

Peppy chuckled. His visual disappeared.

Fox smirked. "He'll take you up on that."

"Oh, I know." She glared at the doors, then turned to Fox with a shake of her head. "Okay, let's check out the tunnel beneath this tower." She looked up at the ceiling. "Okay, wait, what's _up_?"

"We should check out above us, first, then beneath us."

Krystal nodded firmly. "Sounds like a plan to me, love."

They took spiral steps, ascending up into the heights of the tower. Each floor had large non-functioning teleportation portals on the walls. Each was labeled in a clear sign, but neither Fox nor Krystal could read it.

One the third floor, there was a chained binder with handwritten scrawl inside. Fox opened it and went through the pages. "Man, I don't know how they made paper, but it's not degrading or crumbling, even after over two thousand years. I'm guessing they didn't make their paper from trees."

Krystal furrowed her brows. "Your kind makes books from _trees_?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Fox, how did you not deforest your worlds?"

"We switched to e-readers," Fox said with a slight grin. "Seriously, I don't know. We planted more trees. Apparently, the Krazoa found a way to make paper from something other than trees."

"I always wondered why Cornerian paper felt so … strange compared to the pages of books found on Cerinia. I don't know much about the process used by my people, but I can certainly tell you that it was never made from a forest. That sounds awful."

Fox shrugged. "Well, it seems the Krazoa were pretty modern, too, because this isn't regular paper, and it didn't come apart after all these years. Impressive. I wish I could read this stuff."

Krystal rubbed her chin, eyeing the information on the pages. "Something tells me that the Krazoa performed many services at this tower. I recognize some of the runic information, here, from tablets set I to walls as the temple we used last night. I'm thinking it was for religion. I'm also thinking the Krazoa performed medical services, blessings, and mate-ship joining in these buildings."

"I hope we find something to back up your theories, Krystal."

"I can't get last night out of my head."

"How so?"

"Let's just say that I look forward to our next time making camp."

Fox grinned at her. "Yeah, you and me both." He led her up to the next level of the tower. It was more of the same. The rooms lacked technology and had handwritten information on every floor.

By the time the couple made it to the top floor, they were quick to realize that it was set up as an observation deck. Some of the window frames still had glass in them. The one in the door leading out to a wraparound deck was missing its glass.

Fox removed his boot and used it to make sure there was no small bits of glass in the window frame of the door. Satisfied it was clear, he put his boot back on his foot and climbed through, then, holding onto the door firmly, he stomped his feet on the observation deck.

Krystal placed her paws atop of his, in the window frame of the door, just to keep hold of him while he crossed through. "Well?"

"It's solid. It doesn't even bounce a little. After two thousand years without maintenance, I'm thinking Cornerian architects should come here and study this place. It's really impressive, you know?" He helped her through the empty window frame in the door, and then he turned outward to face the rest of Miracle.

"It's so beautiful," said Krystal. "I can see the temple we camped at last night." The top of the temple peaked up through the tops of the tallest leafless trees in the distance. "Roughly ten miles or so. Maybe eleven?"

Fox nodded in agreement. He glanced at his gauntlet. "Twelve-point-one miles according to the GPS. We sure came a long way."

Krystal smiled softly. "Yes, we really did, Fox."

He replied with a wry smile. "Oh, wait, you were treating that as a metaphor."

"Yes. I was." She took his paw into her own and gave his a gentle squeeze. "Mm, I wonder how quick the Mag Lev tram would have traveled twelve miles."

"Maybe thirty seconds," said Fox. "They're pretty quick. At least on Corneria."

Krystal grinned. "So, that means the teleportation portals have a range under twelve miles." Her grin faded. "Perhaps ten miles for teleporting. Just a guess."

"Sounds like a reasonable assumption."

"Or, due to resource consumption, perhaps they were only used in long range operation for special occasions, like emergency responders." Krystal gazed out over the distant ruins in all directions, and the sections of young forest growth in between each abandoned township.

"Also a reasonable assumption." Fox sidled up a bit closer and rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles. "Everything up here is _really_ beautiful."

Krystal grinned and took his paw. "Halfway decent pickup line."

"Like I said, I'm out of practice."

She chuckled softly. "It wasn't all that bad." She brought his paw up and kissed his fingers with a grin. "Actually, it was _kind of_ brilliant."

"Wins the battle, not the war, huh?"

Krystal shook her head with an amused grin. "And what is your definition of a war won?"

"Our fiftieth wedding anniversary."

"Mm, now _that_ was a good answer." She lifted his arm by his paw, stepped close, and pressed herself up against his chest, drawing his arm around herself. "But that would imply that there's some sort of resistance, in order to be a battle. You won't find that from me – I surrender."

Fox grinned. "I accept your unconditional surrender."

"Bloody hell, we're so corny together."

"I know, right?" Fox drew her close in his firm grasp.

She felt small and safe in his arms. It was kind of strange – she'd always felt confident, headstrong, and proud when growing up. But something about this, here, with him, made her feel oddly submissive and bordering on coy in his arms. It was … actually nice.

"Krystal?"

"Mm?"

"Just checking. You zoned out on me, there, for a minute."

"Oh, sorry. Just doing a bit of self-reflection."

"Care to share?"

Krystal lifted her head and gently kissed his neck. "You make me feel safe. That's an important trait in a potential father to my children. Knowing you can keep us safe, y'know?"

"I'm happy to keep you safe, Princess."

Krystal scoffed. "I haven't been a princess since I left Cerinia. Actually, it's a bit weird to hear that. No offense."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Royalty is supposed to protect their people. I didn't do that. Neither did my parents. Just … find a better pet name."

"All right, angel."

She chuckled softly. "I … cannot hate on that one." A pause, then she shook her head with a soft sigh. "I sound like a fool – I know I do, but for some reason, it bothered me. Sorry. That, and it's weird to feel so … girly in your arms. I hope you don't judge me for it."

"You know I won't." He lowered his head and kissed her nose. Then her lips.

She returned the kiss, and it evolved into a passionate lip-lock. After a moment, Krystal broke the kiss, panting softly. "God, this is _not_ the time or place for this. But I want this so badly."

Fox licked his lips. "That makes two of us. If you want a 'litter' then I will give you a litter."

"A litter, hm?"

"As I recall, that's what you called it back when you first joined the team. Remember? Back when we sparred at the hotel on Corneria. If you want a litter, I'll give you a litter."

"God, that's hot." She sighed softly in content, but also in sexual frustration. "You want to seed me and breed me, flyboy?"

Fox cringed at the nickname.

Krystal sensed his memory of Fara Phoenix. She cleared her throat and shook her head. "Sorry. Will come up with something better."

"Look forward to hearing it."

Krystal grinned again. "Good. I look forward to thinking up a new nickname for you. I'm glad I'm not the only one that was weird over a name."

"You have any memories attached to being called that?"

In a very soft voice, she whispered, "It's what my father, Marcus, called me. He's gone, now. So is that nickname."

"Ah. Plus, it would be strange to call you something your daddy called you."

"True. Although, I heard that Cornerian women like to call their man 'daddy.' Not sure why."

"Shoot, me either. That's just weird."

"Perhaps it's meant in the manner that she wishes to make him a daddy by carrying his child for him?"

"You're just full of reasonable assumptions today."

Krystal chuckled softly. "I had my Wheaties today. That is what the cereal is called, isn't it?"

"Heh. Yeah. You had Wheaties and didn't share? Stingy."

She laughed softly. "Figurative Wheaties. They weren't very filling, otherwise."

"Fair enough."

"All right. As lovely as the view is, up here, we really should be on our way."

"But you're just staring at me. The view is out there."

"No, Fox. I'm definitely enjoying _the view_. But, still, we should move before we wind up having our way with one another, right here on the balcony."

Fox laughed softly. "Would that be so bad?"

"Probably not. I'd fancy a quick roger, but I'm trying to behave."

"You never use these euphemisms around the others."

"I'm trying to get away from it, but some of the old slang is coming back of late. Not sure why."

"It's amusing."

"Glad my churlishness amuses you, but I was raised to speak proper posh-like. Thing is, I've never been this way with anyone, and now I feel like I can explore this new side of myself with a real dish."

"Thank you for trusting me," said Fox.

"Let's go see what's beneath this tower, then, love."

"Right behind you. And, yes, this time I'll be looking. Because I can."

"Good." She particularly enjoyed flirting with her mate, whether the one-liners were corny or not. "We have an entire moon to ourselves, except for Peppy and a daft sod who is hiding from us. I really enjoy this time with you."

"I never thought a mission would turn into a vacation where I can't keep my paws off you."

Krystal replied with a wry grin. "Never thought we'd christen an _altar_ of a temple belonging to an extinct alien race."

"Yeah, no kidding. I guess we _could_ find a few … less sacrilegious places around this moon. Then, after Andrew is turned over to the authorities, we can christen several areas of the Great Fox."

Krystal beamed. "Now _that_ sounds like a plan. All right, let's stop tarrying about and find that moppet."

Fox pushed his paw into her back pocket and nodded for the stairs. "Let's get moving."

Krystal wiggled her rump so that his paw was buried deep in her back pocket. "Brilliant."

"I can't keep my paws off you. Why is that?"

"Who am I to argue?" she replied.


	8. Everybody's in Love

A/N: Originally this was one mega-long 97 page chapter. Then, just now, I decided to cut it in half and upload both. Sorry I haven't uploaded the entire story by now. I'm re-reading through it and posting the chapters as I do. Just making tiny additions and all that jazz, y'know, before each post.

Again, if you wish to read the version of this story completely unabridged, go to my profile and find the link there. But, only a FEW chapters have the fully-detailed adult content anyhow, and those who don't want to read them, well, that's why I have it posted here as well. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter -8-  
_Everyone's in Love_

_Near by_…

**Peppy paced in front of the holographic display of his wife, Vivian**. "I'm sorry I haven't been a better husband."

Vivian frowned. "Where is this coming from? I mean, don't get me wrong – I _love_ hearing you tell me your grand plan to live together on Corneria. I _love_ hearing that you're going to have an actual desk job. I just … where is this coming from?"

"The heart?"

Vivian chuckled softly. "No, I mean, really. This isn't your way of talking to me."

Peppy frowned. "That kind of hurts."

Vivian pretend to gawk. "I just told you I _love_ hearing you open up like this. I just … you never even opened up like this on our wedding day. You're acting like you wanna pretend we're both young again. I just don't understand where this is coming from."

Peppy shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, honestly. I just miss you. Physically, emotionally…" He lowered his voice, adding, "…romantically…"

Vivian pointed at the holo-viewer, so that it looked like she was pointing at Peppy. "This. This, right here, is what I'm talking about. We're not teenagers anymore, Peppy. But, God, you're making me feel younger than I've felt in years, right now."

Peppy smiled softly. "I'm glad to hear that. I wish you were here right now. Or I wish I was there. Whichever. I'd wrap my arms around you, and I would…"

Vivian looked away with a tired but effeminate giggle. "I never knew that you became a lecherous old man."

Peppy laughed. "Only for you."

"You haven't talked to me this way in _years_."

"Well, I apologize for that. After this job, I'll tell John Pepper that I accept his offer to become a full time General. His position is kind of strange where he gets to nominate his own replacement, within reason. He has the political clout for the committee and the secretary to accept my application for the position. He'll introduce me to the Prime Minister, and we'll put things into motion."

"Well, you did win the war against Venom with a trio of teenagers."

Peppy continued with a grin of amusement. "Then, I'll pick out a home near one of the best medical facilities on that continent, and we'll settle down together the way we should have done years ago, when we were young. But, now, we'll both be mature enough to enjoy it, and I'll bring in enough money that we can keep it forever, until we're old, grey, and dust."

She offered him a soft smile. "I'd really like that. It sounds like you came to your senses."

Peppy chuckled. "I wish I'd done that sooner."

"No use dwelling on the past. Your work with Star Fox put Lucy through the best university in her field; I will be forever grateful that you provided so much for our baby girl, Peppy. Just come home to me, now. That's what will make me happiest. We can focus on our future. Or, at least, what time I have left of it."

"I love you, Viv."

Her expression brightened. "I love you, too. Look, Peppy, I understand why you did what you had to do. Maybe, in the next life, we'll find each other earlier and do it the right way. I can think of no one I'd rather spend every one of my lives with than you."

"God, I feel the same way, Viv. You'd better not come back as a Venom lizard."

Vivian laughed. "Yeah? And why not?"

"Because, for one, it would be taboo for us to be in love. Secondly, we wouldn't be able to have kids together, and lastly, you'd have a miserable childhood growing up on Venom."

She shook her head, her laughter trailing off to a dry chuckle. "Fair enough." A brief pause, then, "What about one of those Saurian lizards? I could be a stegosaurus."

Peppy laughed with a shake of his head. "That would make the romance a little awkward. I mean, how does a stegosaurus even have sex?"

"Very carefully." She shook her head with a grin. Her holographic picture became blurry, briefly, then resolved back into crisp, sharp, high definition imagery of her face and ears. "I assumed the female lays eggs, and then the male fertilizes it afterwards, like some sea creatures."

"Sauria research suggests they copulate the old fashion way. I just can't understand how."

"I can't believe we're even talking about this."

Peppy laughed. "Yeah, you're right. I'd much rather be talking about _us_ copulating."

"Peppy!" she laughed. "You'd better get that cottontail back to Corneria quick as you can."

"You have my word."

"Good. I might be old, and I might be sick, but I'm not _totally_ broken. You'll just have to be, you know … gentle."

"I'll start slow and return whatever intensity you give."

"My god, this has turned into quite the conversation. Very well. Don't be all talk. Show me what you've got."

"Oh, I'll show you, all right."

"I might even let you have a cigar afterward."

Peppy laughed. "I'm more interested in what happens _before_ the cigar."

"Are you, now," she said in a coquettish tone. "Then hurry up and finish your mission. I have a therapy session to do, and our daughter is knocking on my bedroom door, asking if I'm ready to go, yet."

"All right. I love you. Look forward to loving you in person."

"You better make good on all this sweet talk."

"I'll bring a bottle of your favorite wine. See you soon."

Vivian leaned in closer to the camera lens from her end. "I love you," she said with an endearing smile.

"You, too. I love you." Peppy ended the transmission and exhaled.

Silence.

"Holy smokes, what in the name of Lylat's husband, Corneria, was _that_?" he whispered to himself. Peppy cleared his throat, exhaled hard, again, and called Fox on his gauntlet.

Fox's bodiless head appeared above Peppy's communicator. "_Peppy! Uh, what's up_?"

"Did I call you at a bad time?"

"_Oh, no, uh, not at all. No sign of Andrew yet, in case you're wondering_."

"Mm, well, hurry it up. I've been talking to Vivian and I've decided I want to settle down with her in the Cap City. I want to take my wife out on a date … and enjoy my time with her while she's still well enough to do things. I have memories to make with her, Fox, you know?"

"_Aw_…" The voice belonged to Krystal, somewhere near Fox. "_If anyone deserves a little happiness, Peppy, it's you. Why not go now and we'll take care of this mission? We'll stream the data to you_."

"The two of you need logistical support and…"

Fox interrupted this time. "_Nonsense, Peppy. You're here right now, you put your thumb on this job, you have the best mercenaries in Lylat running point. This is the part where you head back home and handle your stuff. We'll send you the raw data files, and you compile them later_."

Peppy rubbed his chin. "You'll need some measure of ground logistics, and you'll need someone running things on the carrier ship in case you need air support. What if…"

"_What if what_?" asked Fox.

"What if I had Slippy come down and set up a base camp. In case you have to restock water or food, you know? Falco could stay on the carrier and fly some patrols in the new Arwing to make sure that Andrew doesn't have any forces incoming to help him."

Fox chuckled. "_Let's ask him. I'll patch him in_." He tapped on the gauntlet, causing his image to distort slightly on Peppy's end.

After a moment, Slippy's visual showed up in a group chat. "_Hey, guys_!"

Peppy cleared his throat. "Slip! I have some things to take care of back home. Would you consider running logistics from planet-side? Or, well, moon-side?"

"_Sure, but I've been working with a friend on some science stuff. Uh, Fox, I'd like to invite her here. She won't be in any danger and she won't get in the way_."

Fox shrugged in a nonchalant way. "_You're a grown-ass-man, Slippy. If you want to hire a scientist to help you with something, do what you want. Just so long as paying her comes out of your cut__, heh_."

Slippy chuckled. "_All right. __Deal. She's willing to give me a discount. Thanks Fox. Ahem, okay __Peppy, I'll be down shortly to relieve your position, and you can head back to do whatever you have to do_."

Peppy nodded firmly. "I'm going to call Vivian back and let her know the good news. Thank you."

"_No problem_," said Slippy.

"And, yeah, Fox is right. You're a grown-ass-man, son, and you've made me proud of you. Of all of you. See you shortly, Slip. Let Falco know."

"_I will. Slippy – out_." Slippy's holographic head disappeared.

Peppy eyed Fox. "Are you dressed? I saw fur on your shoulders when you shrugged, earlier."

Fox cleared his throat. "_Uh_…"

Krystal's voice came from somewhere in the background. "_Peppy, Fox is a __'grown-ass-man,' too_."

Peppy laughed. "I feel like I should be admonishing you both, but if Vivian was here with me, right now, I would want to do the same-darn-thing. On that note, I'm closing the channel. See you soon, future-_Mr.-and-Mrs_.-McCloud. Enjoy your … mission. Good luck with putting Andrew behind bars."

"_Take care, _General_ Hare_," said Fox with a grin. He turned to Krystal, just outside of the holographic viewer's sight, and said, "_Nice one, hon_." The transmission ended from Fox's end.

Peppy shook his head with a chuckle. "Ah, young love."

X

* * *

X

_Meanwhile_…

**Fox dropped his head back down on the concrete floor** adjacent to Krystal's naked body. He sighed softly and looked up at the ceiling above. "God, that was close. Almost like a parent knocking on the door after you just got dressed."

Krystal grinned at him. "Only we're not dressed. But I think I get what you mean. I like that he called us Mr. and Mrs. McCloud."

"I liked that part, too."

She shook her head with a sigh of content and a smile. "I can't believe we've done this twice on this moon."

Fox chuckled. "Yeah, I know right? I'm not complaining, though."

"And it's really sweet of Peppy to want to go home to his wife."

"Yeah, but pretty sudden. I mean, right in the middle of a mission, you know? I've known him my entire life and he has never done that sort of thing."

"Yeah, true. Makes you wonder if he found out something about her that made his decision that much easier." Krystal rubbed her chin. "I didn't sense anything concerning, though."

Fox shrugged. He half-draped his arm and head across Krystal's naked body. "We should secure the campsite, but I don't feel like moving unless it's to have a round three."

A devious sort of smile tugged at the corners of Krystal's muzzle. "I mean … if you think you can manage another round, champ."

Fox laughed. "Of course I can."

"Well, prove it. Don't just tell me, Fox … _show_ me."

"But, uh, let's find another pet name – champ is a little weird."

"Fine. Your new pet name is _sexy beast_ until I think of something better."

A grin tugged at the corners of Fox's muzzle. "Works for me." He leaned over her, cupped her face, and slanted his maw across hers, again.

She reached up and ran her fingers through his head-fur, pulling him closer with a murmur of delight.

X

* * *

X

_On the opposite side of Miracle_…

**Andrew threw his hands up in the air in frustration.** "What was my uncle obsessed with this nonsense for?! Why?!" He snatched a small holo-recorder from a nearby workstation, covered in two thousand years' worth of dust. The vacuum-sealed bunker had no shortage of dust, unlike other areas of the moon.

Andrew took a deep breath and blew some of the dust from the holo-recorder. He turned back to an audio recorder and continued to narrate to it. "The Krazoa were on the verge of extinction and they _knew_ it. They had two factions – one group turned their third moon into an ark. They sent a large group of the population to a world now known as Kew. My uncle said the system is known as the Krazoa system because they successfully made it. But the usage of a lunar ark caused a small chunk of that moon to crash back into Sauria, causing an extinction level event that devastated the Saurian surface for a time. But it didn't matter because the population had moved to the moon now known as Miracle during that time…"

Silence.

Andrew sighed. "The second group, the ones that stayed on Sauria and this poorly-named lunar body, Miracle, wanted to bolster their numbers by flooding the Miracle atmosphere with hormone stimulators … synthetic pheromones. Surprise, it doesn't work on Simian-kind. It works on reptiles, and there's no documentation to see if it works on other mammals, but Uncle Andross thinks it would work on most Cornerian races. But is that what he wanted me to see?!"

Andrew picked up another holo-recorder, and then he abruptly slammed it back down on the table in disgust. "I doubt it! He said there would be a secret weapon, but there's _no secret weapon_ here! Just an abundance of resources. That doesn't help Venom right now. We can't trade with other Lylat worlds. They would just find out about our mining operation, shut it down, and take the resources for themselves."

He slumped in an ancient chair. The cushion deflated under his weight but didn't provide any cushioning due to its advanced age. "I hate this place. I never should have come here. Star Fox has me pinned down, and they're closing in. My forces have returned to Venom. I came to the location my uncle told me about, but there's no secret weapon!"

He opened a drawer in one of the desks in the bunker, but it was full of more holo-recorders, covered in slightly less dust than the ones that were atop of the desk. He groaned in frustration. "I've looked at everything my uncle left here for me to find! Do you know what I found?! I found that the Krazoa were pacifists! The lunar ark that caused Moon Mountain Pass? That was an _accident_. They realized that they doomed a large portion of Sauria, and without food and water coming from the Saurian surface, it was only a matter of time before the population on _this_ moon died out from starvation. I can only imagine how it must have felt to _accidentally_ destroyed the other half of your race. I wonder if there are any records on Kew that mention it, or if they buried their atrocities, promising never to speak of them to their offspring…"

Another pause. Andrew paced in frustration. "You know, the Kew, according to Uncle Andross, aren't nearly as tall as the Krazoa. I wonder if they got shorter over the last two thousand years to create a smaller carbon footprint. To require less resources. They would have had the ability to alter their genetics to make that happen. Or perhaps a different oxygen density on Kew, or a change in diet would have caused their height difference. Hmm…"

Andrew turned to face his personal recorder. "If they could engineer their genes, they would have stashed away the technology to do that. It would be here. It would be a guarded secret, I'm sure, but it would be here, forgotten by the race that died out and left it for me to find."

Another brief pause.

"If I could find it, here, on this dead moon, I could unlock the secrets of the Krazoa. I could make changes to _myself_. I could become smarter, faster, ageless, and able to heal any injury…"

His eyes widened.

"That's it! _That's_ what Uncle Andross wanted me to find on this blasted old rock! It has to be! I think I've stumbled upon it, but it's obvious that Uncle Andross wanted me to finish his work, here. He would've wanted me to take up the torch! He would have wanted me to use it to bring respect to the Oikonny surname. He would have wanted his legacy to be _more_ than an emperor of a short-lived empire. Andross would have wanted to be remembered as more than a dictator that was … assassinated by the child of a man, which he defeated in a time of war."

Silence.

Andrew sighed. He ran his hand up through his unruly hair. "My uncle would have wanted a weapon that he could use to make the Simian line the most superior species in the galaxy. We could leave Lylat and populate a new galaxy, and plant roots into our own soil … our own _terrain_. Terrans. We could call ourselves … Terrans."

Andrew sighed with a shake of his head. He rubbed his face with his palms, then, with a smirk, he reached out and traced his thumb over the recorder's holo-lens. "More on this soon. Back to searching through their ruins." He closed the recorder and put it in his pocket.

His holo-recorder looked a great deal different from the dusty old Krazoan holo-recorders, filled with data from the Krazoa, and, some, from his uncle. It was easy to tell them apart. The Krazoan holographic recorders were ocular, and the ones his uncle used were square and less dusty.

Andrew hunched over one of the old Krazoa workstations. Off to the side was a laptop hooked into a data port of the Krazoan workstation. "Uncle, you may have found a way to have our technology talk to theirs, but by now, that damned frog would have figured out how to do the same thing."

Andrew took his personal recorder back out of his pocket and started a new file. He cleared his throat and stared at the holo-lens on the side. "Recording file number sixteen. Ahem…" He sat the recorder on the dust and walked over to the Krazoan workstation with the Cornerian-style laptop, which belonging to Andross.

Andrew tapped on the laptop, trying to use it to search for key phrasings in the Krazoan workstation, to see if it had access to the files he required. "Interesting how my Uncle's only nemesis, on an intellectual level, was Beltino Toad, and now _I_ am Slippy Toad's intellectual nemesis. People tease us for not being the best pilots on our teams. They tease us for being worthless soldiers. But … we both know that the two of us are the only ones likely to crack the secret of the Krazoa."

Andrew made a fist and shook it in the direction of the holo-recorder. "I hate you, Slippy. And, just like you protected Corneria Precious Metals LTD, the empire of _your_ uncle, Grippy, the fact remains that _I_ protected the empire of _my_ uncle, as well."

Andrew's voice reverberated off the walls of the empty command center.

He continued. "So, the race is on, Slippy – once again, we're one another's rival. But you don't even know what you don't yet know, and I'm way ahead of you in knowing what to search for. You're smart, I'll give you that, but you really need to stick to the pond, Froggie."

Andrew continued typing on the laptop. After a moment, he stood up, closed both hands into fists, and sighed through clenched teeth. "Not this one, either. What workstation did they keep this information on? It would have to be in a fortified location, because they would have kept it safe. Well, _this_ is a fortified location! It was sealed for years, except for when my uncle worked, here."

He reached down and unplugged the cable from the laptop that led to the Krazoan workstation. "There's mention of it on every workstation I've searched, but where are the files that hold the secrets to Krazoan genetic manipulation?"

He closed the laptop and coiled the cables around it, then tucked it beneath his left arm with a sigh. "Uncle Andross, I know you found something on this moon. I know you found it _years_ before anyone else. I know you used the technology to create bioweapons capable of living on the surface of Solar. And I know that Cornerian scientists wiped your network servers. But I'm going to find whatever it is that _you_ found. And I'm going to use it to greater effect than you did. I'm going to make the Simian species the most feared species in Lylat. And, if I can't, then I will take them to new terrains and call them the Terrans."

He walked away from the workstation to find another that would have the answers he needed. "And anyone who stands in the way will join me or die. Just like Andrea Bowman. I swear, when I find her son, Dash, I will only give him _one chance_ to join me, or he, too, will die. He is _not_ the true heir of Andross' military might – _I_ am. Dash may have confidence, but _I_ have the intellect to create the weapons that will shape Lylat in my image."

Another pause, then, "No, Uncle Andross, I am _not_ contradicting myself! I will only leave Lylat to create a new home for Simian-kind if I have no alternatives. If I can stay and fight for our home, I will! I would only leave and create an ark, of sorts, to send the perfect Simians to create a … a _Terra_ if I can use the genetic-rewriting technology to make the perfect Simian. Our legacy will not be to doom our race. Our legacy will be to save it. I doubt I would even go with them." He shook his head with a soft sigh. "Right now, I have to focus on fighting for Lylat. It was supposed to be yours by now, Uncle Andross. Well … _ours_. Oikonny or Bowman, it wouldn't have mattered – we would all be together. But Star Fox and Corneria's government _ruined that_. John Pepper's damned dogs. Disgusting creatures."

With the laptop under his arm, he walked out of the data center, and headed for the next Krazoan server center on his map. "I will find it, Uncle Andross. You left me a trail of breadcrumbs. I might not be the best pilot to fight in your name, nor the most confident, but I'm definitely the smartest. And I'll prove it to you. And Beltino Toad's son, too."

Andrew thumbed the portable recorder 'off', and folded it down, so that it fit back into his pocket with ease.

X

* * *

X

_Meanwhile_…

**Krystal shuddered with a sharp sigh of ecstasy. **Her lower lip quivered, as did her legs. She buried her face into Fox's shoulder, groaned long and loud, then dropped her head back onto the concrete floor tile.

She could feel it. The warmth within. She was dizzy with delight and proud to have provided her man with _another_ climax. "God, Fox, that's it. Seed me and breed me."

His body relaxed, and he became still upon her, panting softly. In a muffled tone, against the side of her face, he murmured breathless words. "God, sex with you in unreal. You know exactly what to say to me. You know exactly what I need to hear. You know exactly how to touch me."

She nuzzled her face against the side of his head in return, and spoke in a hushed tone, directly into his ear. "Mm, well, I'd say _you_ are the gifted one, here. You do all those things to me without telepathy. That's impressive."

Fox's breathing began to relax, and he wearily lifted his head to meet her gaze. "We go a year without much more than holding paws and kissing. Then, suddenly, this. And, God, it was worth the wait. I've never been this unprofessional on a mission. I just … can't seem to keep my paws off of your body."

"Good." She replied with a tired smile. Her fur was matted with sweat. She reached a free paw upward and wiped her face. "Sorry. I'm a mess. A drenched mess. All over." A wry grin found her maw, and she added, "Inside _and_ out."

Fox chuckled. "You know, some mammals around Lylat can't sweat. They don't have sweat glands. They pant a lot. And drool. Even a handful of vulpine-kind are born without sweat glands. A kickback to an earlier evolutionary cycle or some such."

Krystal scoffed. "That sounds even _less_ attractive than sweating all over my fiancé."

"You like being able to sweat, huh?"

Krystal laughed. "Well, yes. At least I don't drool on you when we got each other in a lather."

Fox chuckled.

Krystal laughed.

"I always imagined it makes kissing a chore." Fox shook his head with another soft chuckle.

Krystal broke out into hysterics. She couldn't help it. She was high on hormones. Serotonin, dopamine, and whatever other endorphins were caused by reaching a double climax."

Fox tensed up a bit. "Man, I love when you laugh. You get ridiculously tight down there."

"Oh, well _that's_ sexy. Next time we make love, I'll just say, '_make me laugh, baby_.'

They both laughed again.

Fox reveled in his post-ecstasy sensations.

Krystal murred, sensing his pleasure. Her heart was still pounding wildly in her chest, but she started to relax beneath his comforting weight. She trailed off into a long, drawn out sigh of satisfaction, followed by looking up at the ceiling, her face flushed beneath her fur. "I said it once and I'll say it again. I didn't know sex could be like … _that_."

"What else can you compare it to, if I'm your first?"

Krystal shrugged. "I was a virgin, not a prude. I handled my urges to keep them in check. But I've never experienced something so intense that it left my legs shaking. Certainly not _this_ much."

"I'm glad you liked it."

"Might I ask a personal question?"

"Krystal, we've exchanged bodily fluids multiple times. It doesn't get more personal than that."

"Well, yes, and that's exactly how I feel, but I'm still learning how to interact with non-telepaths, so I had to ask. Um, so, was it this enjoyable, for you, when you were with Miyu and Fara?"

Fox tensed up. He eased himself free of Krystal's body and sat up with an awkward expression. "Uh…"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know there was shame involved in that, too. On Cerinia, everyone knows about your past lovers. Hard to hide something like sex. Everyone handles it differently. Some aspire to outdo their mate's ex. Some share their past mates with their current ones. Some abscond from mating until they find someone more suited to their tastes, so they forego making love for a while. Some aspire to know how to make the act of sex comfortably familiar, and some want something very different than their last. But everyone in my race saw it as a bodily function, where as people from Lylat treat it as a deeply personal and almost religious sort of experience. Getting into the mind of your mate is what makes for the best release. Making love to their mind."

"No, no, you've described at least half the people from Lylat. There are a lot of similarities between our peoples. Um, to answer your questions, though, uh, Miyu dumped me because she thought I was comparing her to Fara. The truth is, I was still trying to figure out how to process the loss of Fara at the time. I … sorry, hon. It's just that, uh, bringing this up … well, it kills the mood."

"Sorry, Fox. I don't want you to think I judge you. I already telepathically learned all about both of those women ages ago. I learned the basics of what your memories of sex was like, and many other things about you, just from studying you."

"That's a tad bit on the invasive side, Krystal, no offense."

"Mm, well, I wasn't trying to be invasive. It's just … second nature to know everything about one's mate, not to mention wanting to understand my new community. It's how my culture and my people worked."

"How did people, well, lie on your world?"

"Oh, Fox … lying and deceit was a concept introduced to Cerenia by the Kew and by Dr. Andross when he came to our world; it otherwise didn't exist on Cerinia. At least not in the same capacity as Lylatians."

"I get it. There's no filter, because your people were networked together. You're not used to filtering your thoughts or whatever. I just … wanted our romance to be perfect."

"Lylat's obsession with trying to make romantic perfection this fairy tale notion is, well, silly. Just because fairy tales don't mention people's natural curiosities and insecurities doesn't mean they don't exist if you bottle them. Bottling things is unhealthy. To think otherwise is really just a bit daft."

"Yeah, I know. It's just … awkward to bring past stuff up during sex. I'd rather keep things on topic – you and me."

"Mm, well, if you stop putting things in a bottle, you'll live much longer. Women already live almost a decade longer than men in _this_ star system because they're more in touch with their emotions. Imagine never feeling judged. Imagine never feeling afraid to speak your heart. You'd live _twenty-five_ years longer. I'm sure of it. At least, the average Cerinian lifespan is about that, and, genetically speaking, it's not because our DNA is any better than yours. In fact, it's eerily similar in nearly every regard."

Fox chuckled. "There's something … well, _taboo_ about being _inside of you_ while having a conversation that compares how you stack up to the only other two women I've slept with. You really don't find it weird?"

"That's my point, love. My race wouldn't even have to bring it up. We're already linked in a way that we would have all those answers about our mate. Thus, the lack of insecurities. To me? It seems taboo to have insecurities, now. But, because I sense the insecurities of those around me, I also now have them."

"But … why?"

"Because I can't help but wonder if I make you happy. Our minds don't link, telepathically. It's just a one-sided connection, and when emotions are involved, it becomes harder to read you. So, when I get emotional, I can only read your feelings. I become more of an empath than a telepath at times. I don't care that you've slept with two other women in the past. That's only natural."

"Well, my culture romanticizes being so completely true to the one you're 'with' that it's frowned upon to think about one's past sexual partners. That's … that's really the best way I know how to explain it."

"Ah. So you put your past in a bottle, and you push it down and forget about it?"

"Yeah," Fox replied with a firm nod. "Exactly like that."

"I understand, now. I'm sorry, Fox. I didn't mean to kill your mood."

Fox exhaled. "To answer your question, Fara was my first. So, she's … special to me. Miyu was the one that tried helping me get over my first, and it was fun at the time, but it was also … really kinda messed up. We had sex because we were sharing a trauma or … whatever. I'm not a head-shrink, but that's the best way I know how to understand what she and I had. The thing is, our short-lived romance ruined our friendship."

"Ruined? How does sex ruin things between two people?"

"Because Lylat relationships are complicated, sometimes. Sex can ruin things for two people. But this? You and me? It's amazing. I've never felt so carefree in my life. I've never felt so … I don't know. I'm a guy; I don't know how to explain it. Like, _complete_, I guess, would be a better word. You know? I know this sort of explanation should be pretty straightforward, but it's not. It's … I don't know."

"Don't worry about it. Faffing about is a rather Cerinian pleasure."

"Faffing?"

"Taking unnecessary time to do something that should've been straightforward. A Cerinian loves nothing more than a good faff, love."

"Yeah, but you and I? This conversation, I mean? It's _not_ taking unnecessary time to do something that should have been straightforward. It's talking about something that shouldn't be talked about when I'm inside of you."

"I'm … sorry, Fox."

And now he felt bad. He saw it in her eyes – she really didn't understand what the fuss was about. She asked a question without judgment, and he was the one that freaked out. He sighed softly. His ears dropped a bit and his eyes lowered. "No, I'm sorry. I know our cultures are a bit different, and I know that your kind doesn't have quite the same concept of privacy."

"No, no, Fox. I'm not a gormless nitwit. My race may have a different concept of privacy, but I understand the fact that you value yours. I really am sorry I chose such a poor moment to ask such a private question."

Fox fidgeted with a bit of dirt in his claws. "Okay, well … for the longest time, I thought Fara was the love of my life, and I lost my soulmate prematurely. So, I figured whoever I wound up dating was just … me settling. But the more that I got to know you, the more I began to realize I was wrong about Fara. I don't know who her soulmate would have been, but I'm sure, now, more than ever, than you are truly the women meant for me."

"That's _really_ sweet. So, then you've not just had sex with her … you made _love_ to her."

"Well, yeah."

"It set the bar, mm?"

"Yeah, it did. A bar that you and I surpassed, by and large. A bar that Miyu couldn't compare to, but she realized it before I did. And she told me that I would doom any relationship I have if I tried dating before being completely over Fara's death. So, I avoided dating. Until now. And I'm glad for it. I'm glad I met you. I'm glad you and I have something truly magical together."

Krystal sat up. She rolled over, onto her knees, and crawled over to him, and cupped either side of his face. She kissed him softly. Then, she whispered against his maw, "Thank you for giving this part of yourself to me."

"I, uh … thank you for giving me the gift of your virginity. At the risk of sounding sappy, I'll treasure that."

"Cerinia doesn't put _as heavy_ of a…" She drew her head back and tried to think of the right word, but her head was fuzzy from having just experienced exquisite sex with her mate. "We don't obsess over its, uh, you know, its meaning. Not quite to the same degree. But I'm glad you're my first."

"Hopefully, I'll be the only one for you."

She grinned at him. "I meant that I'm glad you've set the bar for what I will think of when I read a romance novel, or when I watch a romantic comedy holo-vid. I'm glad you're the one all those thoughts and fantasies will be based on."

Fox replied with a soft smile at the corner of his muzzle. It slowly spread across his face. "It sounds like you understand the meaning of giving away your virginity after all."

"It was only ever just being able to say you have a lover on Cerinia. Status on Cerinia sometimes meant having several mates. At least in some nations. My mother and father never practiced it, but it was a known fact in quite a few of the nations on the other side of our world from where I was born. If you got along with more than one person, fine, but if you shared a deep ultra-telepathic connection with two people, and they shared the same connection with each other, then it became a house of three."

Fox chuckled. "Yeah, Corneria has three-ways, too, but it's not really … I guess the best word would be to say that it's taboo. If you're public about it, you'll be judged for it."

Krystal chuckled. "No offense, but your culture is stuck in the stone age. I'm not saying monogenism is wrong. It's very black and white. Nice and neat. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl marry and have babies. Boy and girl grow old and become grandparents. But life isn't always that simple. On my world it was rare to have the perfect mate-ship with your first lover, let alone to keep that between the two of you forever. My parents had that."

"They did?"

Krystal nodded with a soft smile. "Yes. And now I have it, and I appreciate that fact. But my grandparents had two, each, on my mother's side, and three and four on my paternal grandparents' side. My paternal grandmother had four mates, and my grandfather had three, but not at the same time. Yet their relationship yielded the child that went on to become a brilliant prince. And that prince married my mother, a princess from another nation. Their relationship yielded a love that you're talking about. They started a global senate, and both became senators in it. Royalty no longer mattered after that. They were an unstoppable force together, and they changed the face of Cerinia politics across the globe with their love and their motivated personalities. What started as two nations led to three unions that ultimately encompassed all the nations, save for a handful of small countries that wished to stay true to the old ways."

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around a planet having multiple … nations? God, Corneria hasn't had nationalism like that since before it started doing trade with other planets around Lylat. So, what happened? Your parents' relationship was a fireball between two people that changed things all of Cerinia, is that the gist of it?"

"Yes," she said with a firm nod. "They drafted a treaty that led to Cerinia's government being completely overhauled. The houses became one government. Royalty became elected officials. It was the will … the demand … of the population, spurred on by the first mega union of two nations, which was started by my mother and father."

"Wow. So you guys were making massive global progress when Andross came to town and ruined everything."

"Yes, exactly! Cerinians wanted to be one people when represented in talks with other planets in neighboring systems. My parents became celebrities for putting their crowns away and working to be elected. They ushered in change together. At first, the media ridiculed them for only having each other, romantically. It was strange. But they were happy having only one another."

"Wow," Fox murmured. He rubbed his chin. "What royal rank did they hold before becoming senators?"

"After the coronation, their marriage made them King and Queen, of the union over two massive nations. But, after they decided to overhaul the political system, they renounced titles in exchanged for true loyalty of the people. That led to reforms around the globe in a matter of a single decade."

Fox cleared his throat. He reached back and rubbed the nape of his neck with a slight chuckle. "I mean, y'know, I'm asking because I've never … I mean … with a princess, before now."

Krystal laughed softly. "By comparison, Fara Phoenix's wealth could have _bought_ several nations on Cerinia."

Fox looked away again. "Krystal…"

She placed her paws on either side of his face. "I shouldn't joke. I know what her death meant to you, and I have no right to speak her name, because I know you feel responsible for her death. But, please, do not think that such an incident could ever happen again."

"I'd hate to lose you, too."

Krystal moved her right index to Fox's lips. "Shh. I am telepathic. Enemies cannot sneak up on me. Andrew's army cannot box me in, because I will know their intention before they act on it. And, since we've already defeated the Aparoids, it seems to me that the only threat left to Lylat … is one that can only harm me from afar, and with a great amount of luck. And something tells me that such a threat would have to go _through you_ in order to get to me."

Fox relaxed a bit. "Just keep reassuring me every now and then."

"My pleasure." She slid her paw back to the side of his face, leaned in close, and whispered. "No, really. It really is … my pleasure. This entire mission has been my pleasure, thus far. I have never felt luckier in my life than to have you by my side, Fox. I enjoy having a team, but, more importantly, I am delighted to have a teammate and a partner."

Fox licked his lips. There was no point in beating around the bush with a telepath. She'd already know how he felt. So, he simply said, "I love you."

A smile brightened her face. "I love _you_." She leaned forward and met his lips with her own, while still cupping either side of his face. "I know we have our cultural differences, but … I think I'll really enjoy having a relationship like my parents – just the two of us. I sense you're a monogamous man, and I respect and appreciate it."

"Yeah, one vixen is definitely enough for me." Fox grinned against her lips. "It's pretty normal for vulpine peoples to mate for life with one person. So far, I've had bad luck with women, but we have a saying in Lylat…"

"Which is?"

"Third time's the charm."

"Oh, so I'm your charm, am I?"

Fox grinned. "You're _my_ good luck charm, yes."

"Good," she said, smiling against his lips. "Let's hope it doesn't get bloody parky outside again. But, if it does, well, we still have a bit of daylight left. Let's find out what mysteries lay in wait for us on the mysterious Miracle, shall we?"

Fox thought about saying '_let's_' again, but, instead, he said, "Together. As a team."

Krystal melted inside. Something about this man made her heart sing. She wanted him all to herself. She nodded emphatically. "_Let's_ … check out the tunnel beneath his tower."

"Hey, now. I'm the team leader." Fox grinned.

"Oh, sorry. Guess I'm just so used to … being a princess and taking charge." She offered him a wry, playful grin. It evaporated quickly. "In all seriousness, though, I'm ready when you are. I put that royalty lifestyle behind me. And, well, since you're the leader, _you_ take point." Krystal paused with a smile. She leaned closer and spoke into his ear. "And, yes, I'll be looking," she said, referring to his backside. "Because I can."

Fox snickered in amusement. "Good." He stood up and started to gather his clothes. "I know I got weird when you brought up Fara and Miyu, but … I'm glad we cleared the air."

"As am I. I suppose we wasted a bit of time to, how you say, 'air our laundry,' but … as I said, earlier, we Cerinians love a good faff."

"Even if it's taking an unnecessarily long time to sort our differences, instead of just being straightforward about them?"

"Yes, of course. Getting to know my man better is the best faffing of all."

Fox pulled his shirt over his head, and down to his waistline, then he reached for his boxer-briefs. "Fair enough." As an afterthought, he added, "What does your kind call it when a mercenary plays hooky when they _should_ be working?"

"Skiving. But we only let ourselves skive off work a _little bit_. We're going back to work, now."

Fox pulled the undergarments up, until they met the bottom of his undershirt. He reached for his pants and vest, drawing the pants up his legs, and the vest over each arm. "Your language sounds kind of fun."

"We could waffle on about it later. We've done enough for one afternoon." She tucked the hem of her shirt into her shorts while watching him get dressed. "You know … what you said earlier, you're right. It's as fun to watch you get dressed as it is to watch you get undressed."

Fox grinned.

She grinned back.

X

* * *

X

_Twenty-five miles away_…

**Slippy shook hands with Peppy** and said, "Hey, I know you took me in because it's what Fox wanted. And I know your role on the team was to keep Fox alive for his father. And I respect all that. But … I just wanted to say that I also appreciate…" The frog trailed off, trying to think of how to phrase what he was trying to say. He pointed at Peppy then himself. "I grew up with a smart dad who had a lot of money, and lots of government connections. You know? And … I probably disappointed him for a while. I ran off to live in a tree in poverty with you, and Fox, and Falco, to try and make a difference in Lylat. And under your protection, we did that. We did the thing. And then my father finally got it. But, what I'm trying to say is … thanks for believing in me."

Peppy put a paw firmly on Slippy's shoulder. "Of _course_ I believed in you. And of course I was happy to be there for you. All three of you. I saw you, all three of you, as my stepsons. But, Slippy, don't think for a minute that Beltino was _ever_ disappointed in you."

"Well, I mean, yeah … he was."

"No, Slippy. He and I were in constant contact. We were old friends. We went way back. He was _afraid_ for you. He was frustrated that Corneria didn't listen to you, but he felt he didn't have the courage to walk away from his life on Corneria to join you on Papetoon."

"I … really?"

Peppy drew Slippy into a hug and gave him a firm, manly pat on the shoulders. "Yeah, Slip. Really. And you helped save the Lylat system. Several times. Your father couldn't be prouder. And neither could I. I mean that – I am so proud of you boys and all that you've achieved."

Slippy hugged him back, returning the firm pats on the back. "Thanks, Peppy. I really mean that."

"I know, Slip. Sorry I was so hard on you back in your teens. But you're a grown man, now. So, at this point, the best thing I can do is to lead by example. And what kind of example would I be setting if I didn't go home to my wife?"

"We've got this, Peppy. We'll make you proud."

Peppy stepped back and straightened his shirt. "I believe in you boys. The three of you have tons of potential. And Krystal? She's a telepath. You guys are in good hands. Just … make sure you find someone special. Someone who makes you smile the way Croakella used to make you smile. Find a someone special, all right? I know you well enough to know you need a companion."

"Falco already turned me down."

Peppy blinked. "Wait, what?"

Slippy laughed and jokingly punched Peppy in the shoulder. "God, did you really just fall for that? Look, I invited this girl … Amanda. She's going to help me with converting the Krazoan computer code. She's one of those people who can learn how to do anything once she puts her mind to it. She could be a pilot in no time, because she'd put her ten thousand hours into doing it, and she'd do it with gusto. But she's also smart with computers, and she's already been through the academy back when everyone thought Andross was going to win. Perfect grades, but she never did anything with her pilot's license, and, uh … well, we've been getting close online."

"Online? Like chats? Private messages?"

"Wait … you know what a private message is, Peppy?"

Peppy dead-panned at the frog. "My grandfather's generation invented the internet, Slippy. Of _course_ I know what the internet is. And of _course_ I know what direct and private messages are." A dry chuckle, then, "How do you think I started talking to Vivian?"

"Really?"

"Really, Slippy."

"You sly…!" He couldn't think of anything. Sly dog? Sly fox? Nothing came to mind for the rabbit. "You sly _old fart_." Slippy coughed, then added, "I mean that in the most respectful way possible."

Peppy chuckled with a shake of his head. "Well, _this_ old fart is on his way home. Where's your friend? The girl?"

"Amanda. We're going to meet up on either Zoness or Aquas after this. She's going to be here in a virtual capacity."

"Probably safest. But if she winds up coming out here, in person, do whatever it takes to keep her safe, Slippy. Don't let anything happen to her. Fox is only _just_ opening up to intimacy again, and it's been _years_ since he lost Fara. So, you keep that girl safe. In _general_, keep her safe, not just right now."

"Eighteen-year-old me would have messed it all up with her, but I'm not that kid anymore, Peppy. And, yeah, I'll keep her safe. You can bet on that."

"Good. I intend to." Peppy took a step back, saluted Slippy, then turned and boarded his shuttle. The door shut behind himself, and after a moment, the shuttle lifted into the sky.

Slippy watched it disappear into the sky until it disappeared.

And, as if on cue, another twinkle in the sky caught his eye. A ship with a globe-like section at the end, lowered into the atmosphere, then set down on the ground not too terribly far from Slippy.

His heart began to race. Did she come in person? As he approached the ship, he realized it was just … a drone.

The running lights went out on the sides, the engines went quiet, and then there was a moment of silence.

Finally, the hydraulic ramp door opened, and dropped to the ground. A pink, tall, lanky frog stepped off her ship and approached Slippy. Her lower limbs flashed a bit when making contact with the high grass, the only immediate indication that she was a hologram.

The tall pink frog approached Slippy and said, "Made it. Did a post-trip inspection. Locked down the computer with a pin code. I'm ready to see these two-thousand-year-old computers you told me about!"

Slippy greeted her at the bottom of the ramp and put his hand out. "Slippy Toad! Nice to finally meet you almost-in-person!"

Amanda laughed. "After all the roleplay we've been doing online, you're going to greet me with a handshake…? I wish you could hug me." She leaned over and wrapped her holographic arms around him. "I'm excited. You paid for my drone's fuel, you wanted to include me in this new discovery, and for once, it's not roleplay. It's real. I'm _so_ excited. I only wish I could be there in person."

Slippy returned the hug with a laugh of delight. "It is so awesome to finally meet you even if it's like this. But, yeah, uh … it's too dangerous to bring you to a potential battlefield."

Amanda beamed. "No, I understand! And it was brave of you to think about my safety! And, hey, how could I say no to at least being able to experience it with you, using virtual reality? Not to mention that you want me to help you corner one of the most wanted men in Lylat! Oh, and not to mention all the caveats! Learning the secrets of an ancient alien computer? Meeting the guy that I've been RPing with for the better part of a year? Yes. Count me in. Ten-fold."

"Awwah," Slippy said and rubbed his face. "That's so cool of you to say."

She smiled. "I am really glad you called me."

"Yeah, me too. And now that I'm down here, planet-side," I have had you on my mind since arriving. And now you're finally here! Well, virtually! I'm excited. C'mon. Let me show you to the computer workstations I found so far."

Amanda beamed. "Lead the way, _Guy Green_."

Slippy cringed slightly. "Let's … keep our roleplay characters to roleplay."

"Fine by me. We can _personally_ roleplay later. _After_ we save Lylat from Oikonny."

Slippy laughed. "Sounds like a plan, Lady Carnation."

Amanda grinned. "Okay, you're right. It sounds a little silly in person, without context." She fell into step with Slippy and followed him to an enormous wall with a giant hole in it. "Wow, what caused this? …Plasma cannon? Proton beam?"

"Yeah, it's how we got inside. Good eye, by the way. C'mon. I'll show you around and set you up on one of their computers. Maybe you can help me make sense of it."

Amanda bit her lower lip, followed by a smile and a nod. Her holographic form followed him through the hole in the enormous granite wall. She stayed close in the dark, although her form let off a very slight bit of light – enough for Slippy to see her in the dark without needing a flashlight.

She continued to follow him through a large warehouse, all the way to a staircase, which led up to some sort of command center on the second level. "Do you have some sort of onsite power generation?"

"Sure, why?"

"Because my holographic emitter drone, which is creating my image, can create hard light. But it takes a lot of power, so it has to be plugged in. Batteries would die in ten minutes if I had it create hard light without a continuous power source."

"Wait, I'll be able to hold your hand?" Slippy beamed.

"You are so sweet. Any other guy would only care that I could do half the workload with this technology, but you wanna hold my hand? You are the sweetest man alive, Slippy."

Slippy felt his face becoming tight and flush. "I'll show you how I'm plugging into the Krazoan generator. Follow me!"


	9. Marcus

A/N: Okay, this one is pretty long. About 65 pages, printed in the font-size that I typically write in. Which is 16 if you were ever curious. It's easier on the eyes, lol. I've used size 16 Times New Roman for everything I have written going back over 15 years. Shame it doesn't look that way on SoFurry and FanFicNET. Ah well.  
Oh! Remember last chapter's title? Everybody's in Love? It gets explained in this chapter, y'all.

* * *

Chapter -9-  
_Marcus_

**Krystal followed Fox** into a tunnel at the end of a flight of stone steps. She withdrew her blaster a split second before him and activated her flashlight attachment.

The familiar luminescent cone of light created a large circle on the ancient masonry that lined the tunnels.

Fox's light was a smaller, tighter, and slightly brighter beam. He shined his on the ceiling then on the floor. "The walls are less intricate than the temple. Just plain blocks. Hmm…"

Krystal shifted her light from the left tunnel wall to the right tunnel wall. "It's not used for ceremony, and likely not for the public, either."

"Exactly what I'm thinking. Kind of proves that the building we stayed in last night … _was_ used for ceremony."

Krystal grinned inwardly. In a slightly softer voice, she said, "Well, it was ceremonious for me."

Fox opened his muzzle but couldn't think of what to say. He cleared his throat. "Okay, that caught me off guard."

"That I'm flirting with you?"

"That you're so much better at flirting than I am. And confident about it."

Krystal pointed her light at Fox's stomach, so as not to blind him, and said, "_You_ are a _very_ confident man, Fox. I'm drawing off your natural charisma and confidence, and applying it to flirting with my mate, a man with whom I have fallen in love, and a man I simply _adore_, because he treats me as both an equal and a partner. That is one of the most important things to me, you know, in case you were ever wondering."

Fox nodded emphatically. "Just … one thing. I'm a bit on the private side about intimacy. Not sure why. But I don't like talking about it in front of people like Falco." As a side-thought, he added, "Or Prince-freaking-Tricky."

Krystal replied with delighted laughter. "Fine, fine. Not in front of _the boys_."

"I wish I knew why I was like this. My dad wasn't awkward whenever I asked him about what my mother was like, or when giving me the 'birds and bees' talk."

"I can explain it if you wish."

"Sure, why not."

"Promise me you won't shut down, Fox."

"I promise I can handle it."

In a firmer voice, Krystal said, "Your issues with intimacy stem from never seeing how your parents interacted the way many children do when growing up. It was further compounded by an awkwardly short physical relationship with your first love, an extremely broken physical relationship with your second lover, and the way she broke off the series of trysts."

"I … trysts?"

Krystal nodded firmly. "The relationship was purely sexual, correct? There was no time for love or deep and meaningful feelings to develop, right?"

Fox rubbed the back of his neck with his free paw. "Uh, right. God. This is hard to talk about, even with you."

"You don't need to. I know everything about it already, simply by being in your presence. Fox, you know I don't give a sod about your past lovers. It's all a part of you. These events shaped you into the man I love."

"Right, right, because your race is used to already knowing everything about one another, so there's no awkwardness or shame. I get it."

"Do you remember the dreams?"

"What dreams?"

"Blue fur, a kiss … you were in the academy at the time."

"Was that … you?"

"Fox, I d the same dreams about a man with brown fur, fighting for peace among the stars. I believe we had a connection."

Fox gawked.

"Let's revisit that topic another time. For now, just know a telepath would not judge you. If I did, I would have avoided you."

"I'm not used to it, but I appreciate that you don't judge me."

"Why would I?"

"Because _I_ judge me, Krystal. I was stupid as hell in my youth. For example, I was stupid for jumping into that … thing … with Miyu. It was really dumb. I ruined a great friendship with a great pilot."

"Yes, you did. But then you met me. And now? Now, there is an _us_, Fox. I won't judge you, and I won't be jealous of your past because I already know so much about it."

He smiled a bit, seen in the light of her blaster attachment. "You have an interesting way of looking at things."

"I still think it was adorable when you got so … flustered because Tricky _assumed_ we were in a relationship."

Fox chuckled in a winded sort of way. "I don't know how to talk about that kind of stuff. I'm not good at being a boyfriend or … fiancé or whatever. I don't know what I'm doing. I guess you're right – I never got to see how it's done. My dad didn't date anyone after my mom died. At least not that I ever saw. If he did hook up with someone, Peppy would have told me, because he wanted me to 'move on and find someone else' after Fara and Miyu were out of my life. But I didn't."

"No one at all? Not even a bar fling?"

Fox shrugged. He continued walking alongside of Krystal. "Can't you sense it from me?"

Krystal tilted her head a little, as if trying to increase the reception to her frontal lobe or something. She put her free paw's index and middle fingers against her temple. "Hmm…"

"Does … that really help?"

"No. But it disarms you, making you easier to read. Okay, so, you kissed a female fan, while drunk, at a bar, but then politely broke things off with her before it turned physical, because you knew you weren't in control of the situation after several strong drinks…"

"Yeah. Wow. I hadn't thought of that in ages. You can read non-active thoughts?"

"It's more of a nuisance than reading active thoughts, but, yes, I can understand what you've endured. I understand the hurt you suffered as a young child, when your mother passed. I sense the anger you've felt for that gob-shite, Andross. Also, I can hum the melody and some of the lyrics to the songs you learned as a child, and I know what you sounded like when belching the Cornerian constitution."

"Backwards," said Fox with a weak grin. "I belched parts from the Cornerian constitution … _backwards_."

Krystal replied with a grin. "You are _all_ that is man, my love." She sensed that he felt a little awkward, exposed, and vulnerable, and that he was trying to make a joke to feel better about everything.

"I only believe it when _you_ say it. Anyhow, I look forward to putting Andrew into a deep, dark hole at Capital Max on that granite island at the heart of the Cornerian Sea."

She smiled softly. "There's that gumption I love about you." She pointed her light forward, illuminating the seemingly endless tunnel that stretched out, deeply, into the dark foreboding distance.

"It's pretty dark ahead, huh?" Fox shrugged. "That's no big deal."

Krystal's smile broadened. "…You gonna protect me from the shadows that lurk ahead?"

"If I can't blast'em, I'll drop a ceiling on them. Anything to keep you safe."

She beamed in reply. "Brilliant."

"So, uh … you really think I'm manly, huh?"

Krystal laughed. She reached out with her free paw and gently patted the side of his face. "The manliest. But you shouldn't have to wonder what _I_ think about _you_. That isn't fair. So, I will tell you, bluntly, that you are amazing in bed, you are a consummate professional around others, you are strong, sure, confident, and you've got the _nous_ to make the _right_ decisions. You are fit, you care about your appearance and, unlike many men, you take a little bit of time to maintain yourself. Not only are you well groomed, but you have natural good looks as well. Beautiful eyes, a wonderfully masculine physique … when we get into the thick of it, together, it's always an adventure. Like now. No enemies, but things are getting hot up. Oh, and … I also love those little sounds you make in my ear when we make love."

Fox found himself hanging on her every word until she got to the end. He coughed loudly enough that it reverberated off the walls in a cacophony of ear-splitting noise from both sides, above, and below. In a winded tone, he added, "Shit, I wasn't ready for _that_."

Krystal grinned. "I like that I have an effect on you, McCloud."

"You keep flirting with me and we're going to wind up making out, again."

"Oh, _making out_ … is that what we're calling it?" She glanced down at her shiny finger claws, as if inspecting them. "At least I don't have to varnish these anymore."

"Meaning?"

"You already think I look good enough to eat. I don't have to worry about my eyes or nails anymore. It's sort of a saying on Cerinia – when a woman knows her man is completely in love with her, she doesn't have to worry about making up her eyes or nails anymore." She gave him a grin, adding, "You also know just the right words to say in my ear when the time is right. You make it difficult to orientate myself proper."

Fox smirked. He cleared his throat softly, then, in a firm tone, said, "Fine. I'm going to end up seeding and breeding you again."

Krystal licked her lips. "_There_ it is. There's that confidence. The confidence I'm drawing off of, telepathically. That's why I'm flirting with you so heavily … it's because I am using your confidence. Mm, maybe that's why we're both so randy, come to think of it."

"How are you when I'm not around?"

"A _little_ coyer. Certainly not as coquettish as I am acting, now."

"I was just curious."

"You can always ask. You deserve to know everything about me that I know about you. It's only fair, then."

"We'll have to catch up on the details of your childhood, one day, so that we're even."

"Fair enough."

Fox added, "But right now isn't the time, and Miracle isn't the place."

"Agreed."

"I kept expecting the guys to somehow catch us all hot and sweaty last night, heh."

Krystal laughed softly. "We could've told them we were exercising."

"Yeah, right. Jumping jacks for hours."

"Cerinians called them star jumps." She pointed her light down at the floor tiles and furrowed her brows. "Hey, the ground changed."

Fox pointed his light down. "You're right. It was plain square tiles, and now it's different size tiles. Sharp eye."

"I had my 'sharp eyes' on you from the moment we met, didn't I?"

"I … don't know. I guess. Did you?"

Krystal laughed again. Her soft silvery peals brightened the dark tunnel, figuratively. "Fox, I saw you looking at me the first time you approached my so-called Saurian 'cell.' I thought you might have been Andross, so I kept my eyes closed, but you approached, and I peeked through my eyelids, just enough that I could see a handsome man through my lashes. I couldn't really hear Peppy's reply on your gauntlet computer, but I could telepathically understand your side of the conversation. I could comprehend Peppy's message to you, just not the words he used. And then you walked away, and I opened my eyes."

Fox eyed her mock-suspiciously. "Were _you_ looking at _my_ backside?"

"What if I was?" A pause, then Krystal grinned and shook her head. "No, those bloody green kecks you wore did _nothing_ for your figure, my love."

"Kicks? Like shoes?"

"No, _kecks_. Like trousers. You haven't worn them since that mission, thank the goddess for that."

Fox chuckled. "Funny." He licked his lips. "So, you knew I was attracted to you right away?"

"Yes, and I know that you're even _more_ attracted to me now that we have history between us." She offered him a genuine smile, but it was mostly unseen in the gloom of the tunnel. "You have the most sincere and unpretentious emotions I've ever experienced from a man, telepathic or otherwise. You only lie when protecting someone's feelings. Otherwise, you say what you mean, you do what you say, you admit your mistakes, and you get flustered when you apologize for wrongdoing. Those are the traits of someone I would love to call husband. And, if I'm lucky, the future father of my children."

Fox exhaled through his teeth. He felt his lower lip tremble and was glad for the darkness to mask it. "I, uh … wow. That was … I'm honored. I wish I could use my battlefield confidence to flirt with you."

"You will when you're comfortable with your feelings and the topic of sexuality."

Fox coughed. "You're really using my confidence back at me … to flirt?"

"Mm, you have an abundance. You're _so_ sure of yourself in every other facet of your life. It's almost overwhelming. I … at times … feel naturally high off the intensity of your confidence. It's difficult _not_ to let it manifest itself, subconsciously, in my feelings for you."

"Can I ask you a weird question?"

Krystal nodded and answered him before he could ask the question out loud. "The reason I laughed when Tricky asked about our relationship is because, well, for one, it was amusing and terribly cute. Adorable even. But, also, because I sensed that you had feelings for me. And deep attraction. I knew we were eventually going to have a relationship if you followed your heart. That's when I started looking into our genetics."

"How so?"

"I spit into a little glass tube and captured some of _your_ saliva from a time you had yourself a little kip on the sofa, when you were rat-arsed."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning you were pissed past legless. I sent those samples to a geneticist on Corneria. I wanted to know if our genes were compatible for children."

"You … knew I was a candidate for fatherhood before I asked you out?"

"I did. I know it was rude. I'm … sorry for that."

"You could've asked."

"I was worried you'd feel weird about it. But I had to know. I know it's no excuse, but, well…" She trailed off with a slight shrug. "Remember, Fox, my race is … _gone_. I wanted to know if I could ever bare a child. Imagine my relief when I received the results saying that it was ninety-nine percent certainty that your sperm and my eggs would be compatible."

Fox felt his cheeks burn with the blood of a blush beneath the fur of his pelt. "Are you … compatible with other Cornerian races?"

Krystal shrugged her shoulders. "No idea; could care less. I only tested my genes against _your_ DNA. If another man were to impregnate me, it would be because you're dead, and then it would only happen _if_ I ever got over your death."

"I've got you bad, huh?" Fox grinned a bit.

"Not to sound like some obsessed swot, but, uh, I would probably mourn _forever_."

"That's … actually sweet."

Krystal laughed. "Sweet? The great-and-manly Fox McCloud just called something _sweet_?"

Fox laughed. "Okay, fine, it's frickin' flattering as hell. Better?"

"I like that _you're_ sweet on _me_." Krystal reached her free paw out and gently ribbed his arm. "You know you don't have to choose your words carefully around me. I will _never_ _judge_ you." Then, as a secondary thought, she added, "Unless you dump me for some ditz, and leave me barren and alone. Then, well, I'd probably become pretty judgmental. And you'd better not ever have some plaything behind my back, because I'd suss out your slag faster than…"

Fox lifted a paw to stop her. "Krystal, like I said, vulpine peoples are naturally monogamous."

"I'm bloody kidding, Fox! I told you that poly-romance was a big part of my culture. You'd have to discuss it with me, first. We would have to decide on a second mate together. But, in all seriousness, you'd better not leave me for someone else." She lifted her left paw and waved the ring in his face. "You're mine."

Fox held his paws up and shook his head. "I'm not interested in having _two_ girls in my life. And I wouldn't want a relationship of _any kind_ unless it involves _you_. So, I guess we're stuck with each other."

"I know I'm heavily influenced by your core personality right now, especially the battlefield confidence, but … if you ever betrayed my heart, I would probably make your life miserable in one way or another."

"How so?"

"I don't know. It's who I was."

"You mean ultra-motivated?"

"I'm a spawny girl to have you in my life, Fox. Motivated. All right. I'll take motivated."

"Go on, Krystal. What were you going to say?"

"Just … that I hunted for answers to Cerinia's fate all the way to Sauria. Then, I hunted down the source, leading back to Andross. It got me in a lot of trouble. It got me imprisoned. But I was aggressively, well, _motivated_ to be a thorn in his side. I can't honestly say how I would react to being betrayed by you. I might cry. I might never want to see your face again. But … I might go out of my way to hurt your heart. I'm … just going on my past actions when I was alone. You know, without anyone else telepathically influencing my personality."

"Man, this conversation got deep."

Krystal chuckled inwardly. She reached a paw back and rubbed the nape of her neck, then pointed the blaster light attachment at the ceiling. "Deeper than the tunnel we're exploring. Hey, have you noticed that the floor has a slight downward grade?"

Fox nodded. "Yeah, we've been on a slight decline since the tunnel started."

"I've been so wrapped up in our conversation, I didn't even notice."

"I'd say we're a couple stories below the surface, now. And almost a mile from the staircase leading up to the tower."

"What's even down here? I'm _dying_ to know."

Fox grimaced. "You'd better _not_ die."

"I won't, Fox. I promise." She reached for his free paw and gave it a firm squeeze. "I'll outlive you. Just … don't make me have to bury you, okay? I've seen too many people die in my life, already. I can't lose you, too, okay?"

"The minute I think I'm not at my peak, I will retire. If it's earlier than I'd like, I'll train my replacement, or open some sort of mercenary training school. Or, uh, maybe I'll take a job teaching at the academy. Depends on how things are going in Lylat at the time I decide to retire."

"Maybe you can train our child one day. Or their team."

Fox smiled. "That sounds like an amazing idea."

Krystal had never experienced feelings of fear over losing a man before. She never wanted this to end. She was afraid he would die, or he would leave her. She took a deep breath and pushed down her insecurities, followed by a sharp exhale.

"Something wrong?"

"It's fine."

"Did … I do something wrong?"

Krystal chuckled with a shake of her head. "We've been engaged for how long? And we finally made love. And now? Now we can't keep our paws off one another."

"Is that bad?"

"Not at all. I'm telling myself that this is happening because we discovered just how physically compatible we are, so now we can't get enough of one another. It sounds nice, doesn't it? But my fear is that … I don't know … that I'm going to wake up from this dream at any moment, and it will have been exactly that – a dream. I'll sit up in bed in my quarters, next to yours, and you'll still be asleep in your bed, alone, without me."

"Pretty sure this is real."

"At the risk of you thinking that I'm crazy … or that women are weird when we're in love, just … remember that I'm trying to share my thoughts, feelings, and insecurities with you, so that we're even. Y'know, to make up for me being the only one who is telepathic."

Fox chuckled and shook his head. "I don't think you're crazy. Not in the least."

"I actually believe you."

Fox gave her paw a squeeze. "If you're telepathically bathing in my confidence, then where are these insecurities coming from? It's kind of … out of the blue."

"I don't know. Maybe they're just … the real me shining through? Hell, I'm just glad you don't think I'm some totty. At least I know how you feel about me. But, at the end of the day, I'm still worried you'll die or leave me."

"Where is this coming from, Krystal?"

"The heart? I don't know. I'd hate to be scared of something so silly when we're finally taking the next step in our relationship, but the truth is, sometimes we women overthink things more often than you boys might realize. It doesn't matter what planet we're from. I'm not saying all women are like this; some are overconfident. But I'm women enough to admit I'm scared. Not just because I've lost my race, my home, and everything I've known up until now … but because I worked so hard to replace everything I've lost. And, well, I'm afraid to lose everything all over again."

"Well, I'm not telepathic, obviously, but I can tell when something is bothering you."

She shook her head. "I'm just worried that what happens on Miracle … stays on Miracle."

"Krystal, this isn't a Sargasso backroom casino, and it's not the nude beaches of southern Aquas. What happens on Miracle will continue over to the new Great Fox."

She replied with a soft smile. "That's … I think that's what I needed to hear, Fox."

He pulled her close and wrapped an arm around her. "You already know how I feel about you. I don't even have to say it. And, even though this job is _really_ dangerous, I'll always want you at my side."

"I'm sorry I've been a bit … stroppy." She rested her head on his shoulder, briefly, while they continued walking together, deeper down the tunnel beneath the Miraculin surface.

They took one another's paw. She felt safe and loved. It was the best feeling in the world.

Half an hour passed.

It was a long, quiet, dark half-an-hour with time to reflect on their closeness.

Neither said a word. They didn't need to.

…At least until they came to a hub room with a series of doors.

Krystal pointed her flashlight attachment at the wall of doors, each spaced apart by about fifteen feet. She pointed the light back at the floor in front of Fox. "You know, it occurred to me that I had been rude and unprofessional, earlier, for pointing my light at your chest. I was trying not to blind you, but … the light is attached to a _weapon_. That was clearly unprofessional of me. And to think I called myself an interstellar boffin."

"A _what_?"

"A professional cosmonaut. I learned how to fly, defend myself, and study in the field. I know better than to point a weapon at another. As a mercenary, now, I know better and wanted to apologize."

Fox chuckled in a good-natured way. "Where is this coming from?"

"I'm having a moment, I suppose."

He held his blaster outward, sideways, showing her the light-attached weapon from the side. "Everyone on the team has a transmitter on their belt that sends off a 'friendly' signal. Your weapon won't work when pointed at other team members."

Krystal chuckled with a bit of embarrassment in her tone. "Seriously? You were in no danger? I felt awful but didn't know how to apologize."

"I didn't think anything of it; I just figured you knew I was never in danger."

"How did I not know about the transmitter thing?"

Fox pointed his own weapon at himself and pulled the trigger. It issued a soft chirp of protest and vibrated in his paw. Nothing else happened. "See?"

"Brilliant, really. That's perfect for the battlefield."

"I want the best for my team. Safety is priority one. I will _never_ lose another person on this team for as long as I live. I will do _everything in my power_ to keep it that way."

Krystal smiled. "Well, that's just gorgeous." She pointed her light back at the doors and said, "I feel better. So, the doors? Have a preference?"

Fox counted four doors, two diagonally to the left, and two diagonally faced to the right.

The room was shaped like a cone – somewhat round at one end, where the doors were located, and then triangular in a way that funneled back into the depths of the long dark tunnel.

Krystal walked out in front of Fox and panned her light from the far left door to the far right one. "Being telepathic is one thing … even with the Aparoids, where I couldn't read them, except base emotions, I was still useful as an empath. But there's _no one_ here, and I feel utterly useless."

"Krystal, you know how to handle yourself. Right? You were trained in self-defense, and you've been around me long enough to know how to handle a gun better than Slippy, quicker on the draw than Peppy, and without the cockiness of Falco. Heck, you listen to direction better than him, too."

She grinned. She could sense that he was trying to figure out what to say but didn't have a clear direction of conversation, except to try and compliment her. "What're you on about, Fox?"

"You're not useless. You're my partner on this mission."

"Mm, I like hearing that," she replied with a soft smile. "I also like being your partner _outside the mission_."

"Yeah, that, too. Definitely that. If you decide, after this mission, that you want to keep things going."

"I'm up for it." Krystal pointed to the left door, and slowly panned right with her finger. "Ee-nie me-nie mine-y moe, catch a lizard by his toe. If he hollers, let him go. Ee-nie me-nie mine-y moe." She started on the left door, moved right, then back to the left, then back to the right again. She ended on the far-right door.

Fox shrugged. "Let's do this."

"Let's." She grinned at him.

Fox grinned in reply.

"You'd better not jump me when we walk through that door."

Fox chuckled. "I promise I'll behave. Maybe. Okay, I think I still need a bit of time to recharge from the last two times."

"Good point. That makes two of us." She headed for the door on the far right and pressed against it. The door didn't budge. She walked to the other three doors to her left and tried each, but they were all sealed from age.

She walked back to the door on the far right and gestured to it like a gameshow model. "What's behind the fourth door? Is it something wonderful, or is it certain doom? Fox McCloud, you're our winning contestant, if you can open door four, then the prize it holds is _all yours_!"

Fox chuckled. "Did they have gameshows on your world?"

"They did. Fairly similar to Cornerian gameshows. Sad, isn't it?"

"Yeah, oddly that_ is_ pretty sad. Not sure why." Fox pointed his weapon at the door, and blasted the handle out.

Krystal pushed on the door, but it still didn't budge.

Fox shot out each of the hinges.

Krystal tried the door again, but it was rusted into its frame and wouldn't budge.

Fox dashed forward. During his sprint toward the door, he reached down with his free paw and touched a button on his belt buckle. It ignited a fiery shield around himself. He struck the door with a full-on fiery tackle.

The door gave.

Fox stumbled through it and lowered to a crouch. The fiery forcefield dissolved. He stood up and turned to face Krystal. "And _that's_ how it's done."

"You really ought to enter into some sort of … brawling competition, Fox. You'd be quite effective with moves like that."

"Could I borrow your staff for it?"

Krystal scoffed. "No. The staff is mine. Not that I'd ever consider joining such a thing … unless it was to help you out of a pinch."

Fox chuckled. "You could be my trophy girl, and just class up the joint by looking good."

Krystal rolled her eyes with a secret grin. "If you say so."

"Falco could join. We'd clean up the place as a team."

"And then Wolf would show up."

"Wolf? What? Why him?" Fox stood up straight and eyed her with a furrowed brow.

Krystal laughed. "Didn't you hear him when he saved us during the Aparoid invasion?" She lowered her voice, trying to do her best O'Donnell impression. "Only _I_ get to tan your hide, McCloud. Because I'm Wolf and _I_ think I'm fearsome. Rawr and stuff."

Fox laughed dryly. "Yeah, that'd be weird if he showed up to a competition to protect me. I don't need a nemesis as a bodyguard."

"They're not as bad as people make them out to be, y'know. Wolf surrounded himself with dishonorable people like Pigma and Andrew, but only because he was contractually obligated to his first major financier – Andross. Wolf and Leon, and even Panther, have more honor than you might realize."

"Don't defend their actions. Don't defend Sargasso."

"Fox, you forget. I flew on their wing while _you_ were flying on Wolf's wing, literally, during the Aparoid Invasion."

"I remember Panther asking you to '_ride his wing_.' Friggin' pervert."

"Yes, we had lunch, once. And he asked me to '_ride his wing_' again. I told him to 'put a sock in it.' Mostly because telling him to sod off _before_ the check comes … is a bit on the rude side. But, Fox, they were trustworthy allies when we needed them."

"If you say so."

Krystal sighed softly. "I was close enough to listen to their minds and hearts. They're reliable pilots when Lylat is in danger. I'm telling you … they're just bad boys with good habits."

"I'm the exact opposite of that squadron."

Krystal grinned in reply. "That's true. You're a good boy with bad habits."

Fox brought his palm to his face. "Okay, okay. Let's not talk about frickin' Star Wolf."

"You don't have to get so shirty, Fox."

"Shirty?" He glanced down at his gear vest.

"It doesn't take being a telepath to know that you're jealous of Panther flirting with me. You can relax. If you must know, _he_ is jealous of _you_ for having _me_."

Fox grinned a bit. "How jealous is he?"

"Very." She stepped through the doorframe and firmly took hold of Fox's belt buckle. She used it to pull him, so that he would fall into step with her. "He is the smarmiest and most cliché anti-hero-wannabe that I have ever met."

"Please, for me … for my sanity … if something ever happened to me, please don't _ever_ date Panther."

"You really don't like him, do you?"

Fox shook his head vehemently. "He's an egotistical jackass and a total chode."

Krystal replied with a grin of amusement. "True … and he's a feline. I doubt I could date him."

"You doubt it? I flat out forbid it."

"Oh, relax, Fox. Besides, I can't imagine sharing a bathroom with a man whose urine smells like ammonia."

"Ew. You have quite the imagination to take that into consideration."

"You didn't notice it with Miyu?"

"Uh, no. We weren't close enough to use the same commode one right after the other."

"Fair enough." She panned her light around the inside of the room. It was a short hallway, which ended at another door. There was a device mounted into the wall. "C'mon."

Fox followed her to the door at the end of the short hall. He cast his light over the device in the wall, adjacent to the door, then he shook his head with a sigh.

"What? Wait, a biometrics scanner?"

"Yeah. See the little foggy lens on the cylinder that's sticking out at the top center?"

"Retina scanner, is it?" Krystal studied the object mounted to the wall for a moment, then looked back at McCloud with a sheepish grin. "You know, they had all the best tech two thousand years before the rest of Lylat."

"Apparently so." Fox attempted his flaming dash attack again, but the door held. He teetered back and quickly put a paw out to brace himself on the side of the hall. "Jeeze."

Krystal rubbed her chin. "Mm. I wonder if we can find a Krazoa Spirit to possess one of us. Then we could look into that scanner with purple eyes, and it'd open right up."

Fox shook his head. "Doesn't work that way. A spirit won't change the retina pattern of your eye. Also, where would we find a spirit on Miracle? And, finally, this place doesn't have power. This scanner isn't even working."

"I was kidding anyhow."

"_Sure_ you were."

Krystal scoffed at him. "_Panther_ wouldn't be teasing me over a silly clanger…"

Fox held his paws up, which pointed his light at the ceiling. "Okay, okay. I know you're joking, but I _really_ can't stand those guys. If I _ever_ give you a reason to date Panther, then I must have _really_ messed things up. Because I'm not going to die. Ever."

"You're the one that always preaches how dangerous our line of work is, Fox. Can you _promise_ you won't die?"

"Hell _yes_ I promise I won't die! Because I don't want him making moves on you. And you know he would the second I was in the ground."

"I agree – so, please, _don't_ die."

"If I do, I would haunt the two of you _so bad_."

Krystal laughed. "I would never date him, especially in a post-Fox McCloud world. Instead, I would have your remains cloned, I would use IVF, and I would bear your offspring. Then I would live alone, loveless, as a widow and a single mother. Forever."

Fox grinned. "Okay. I'm … strangely okay with that. But I still refuse to die. I wouldn't want to give him the opportunity to hit on you. You don't deserve to have someone making you uncomfortable, no matter who it is."

"That's sweet in a weirdly morbid sort of way."

"Yeah … actually, this entire conversation is getting weird."

"Then, just know this … I'm not going anywhere, you daft boy." Krystal nodded emphatically and stood up on her tiptoes to better study the retina scanner device set into the wall. "Back on topic, then, yeah? A Krazoa being would have to bend at the waist quite a bit to utilize this hardware. Why have it so low?"

Fox said, "Because they weren't the only ones using it. They may have employed people from the Sharpclaw nation, and we also now know that they worked with your Cerinian ancestors. Anyhow, if it's not powered, there has to be a way through this door."

"Want to try one of the others, or…?"

Fox shrugged. "I'm sure we'll find more retina scanners, knowing our luck. Let's just find a way to get through this one, so we'll know how to get through the others."

She nodded firmly in reply. "Brilliant."

Fox guided Krystal behind himself and took a few steps back. He pointed his blaster at the door, changed the basic battle settings, and charged a shot. He tensed his stance, loosened his arms and shoulders, and released the trigger.

Krystal watched as his arm lifted from the kickback of the weapon. She leaned to the right and peered around Fox, followed by a frown. "Bloody tough door." She rubbed her chin in thought, then, in a joking tone, told him, "I don't think we'll get the new carrier's proton cannons down here, Fox."

Fox grimaced. He approached the door and pointed his flashlight attachment at it. "All right. Let's see … we've got scorch marks and a bend in the heated metal, but not much else."

Krystal holstered her blaster, withdrew her staff, and tapped the spearhead against the door. She tapped in several spots on the door, then stopped just above the center middle. "Hear that?" She tapped the tip against the door again.

"Yeah, it should be solid steel, but it's a _little_ hollow sounding in that one spot."

A smile spread across her muzzle. "I'm thinking that's where the locking mechanism goes when it retracts from the frame into the door."

"Good working theory."

"Charge your blaster up, love," she said with a slight grin, then she pointed her staff at the spot where her taps sounded a little hollow. She changed the way she held the staff; the spear's tip opened. She tensed her grip and a blast of cold gushed from within the staff.

The door frosted over at the center. Condensation beaded up near the top and bottom of the frozen spot. The center became white with frost. She continued to use the frost blast attack on the center portion of the door, just a little above the midsection.

After another moment, she turned back to Fox and said, "Narrow beam, hit that spot."

Fox thumbed the settings on his blaster, making the beam narrow and tight. He released the charged shot into the frozen section.

The door shattered like glass at the center, clear through to the other side.

Krystal held her staff out to the right and faked a curtsy. "Thank you, thank you, please, hold your applause until the end of the show."

Fox smirked. "Funny."

"We'll be quids-in before you know it." She switched to a flame option in the staff, scorched the door for a little less than five seconds, then she returned the staff to her back, withdrew her blaster, and switched on the flashlight again. "Rather, _credits_-in. I've worked hard to speak like Cornerians; why the hell do I keep using old Cerinian sayings?"

"It's fine. It's cute, actually."

"Right, then. I was aiming for cute, y'know. Glad I nailed it." She peered through the hole, looking at the lock mechanism, within. She reached a paw in, firmly grasped the scissor-mechanism for the lock bolt, tensed up, and pulled on it.

The large tumbler had frost on it. After a moment of tugging, the mechanism begrudgingly slid from the doorframe, until it was fully retracted into the door's central cavity. She turned back to Fox, smiled sweetly, and said, "Admit it, you're impressed. I deserve a kiss for that."

Fox grinned. He reached for the door handle and pulled on it, but it didn't open. He grimaced. As an afterthought, he pushed on the door.

The door creaked open on ancient but well-made hinges.

Fox turned back to her, cupped either side of her face, and kissed her like she was the last woman in Lylat.

Krystal holstered her blaster, once more. She reached up and palmed both of his paws. She gently eased his paws from her cheeks, met his gaze with a smile, and whispered, "That concludes the show. Thank you. I'll be here all week."

Fox scoffed and dropped his paws from either side of her head. "Oh, jeeze. Are we sure Falco isn't planet-side? Because that was definitely…" Fox trailed off and thought about what she'd said.

Krystal waggled her brows at him with a slight grin.

After a moment, Fox shook his head. "I take that back. It was too clever for Falco."

Krystal chuckled. "Yeah, it kinda was." She offered a wry grin and a playful wink. "Moving on, age before beauty." She gestured to the open door.

Fox scoffed. "Said the girl almost _half_ my age."

Krystal rolled her eyes. "Depends on your math. In _Cerinian_ years, yes, since my world had longer revolutions around our system's star. We've been over this."

Fox chuckled. "Yeah. I remember when I was worried you were actually sixteen, back when we met. I almost freaked. Thank freaking God you were legal in Cornerian years."

Krystal gestured to the door again. "Again, age before beauty."

Fox gave a firm tug on the lower hem of his silver gear vest. "I'll take point." He nudged the door open and pointed his blaster through it, flashing his light about the area.

Krystal re-withdrew her own blaster, a slight grin still on her lips, and followed him through.

The door led to a room full of strange machines, which Krystal did not recognize. She studied them for a moment, shrugged, and turned to Fox. "I've got this feeling you've a theory about these things."

Fox approached the nearest metallic object and used the light of his blaster to find an access panel on one of the sides.

The objects weren't perfectly square, but nearly so. Each metallic cube had vents on the sides, and a pipe above, which connected them to the ceiling.

She watched as Fox located an access panel, removed it, and reached inside of the cube-like object. "Wait … you're being difficult to read right now."

"You'll see, just wait."

Krystal thought about sticking her tongue out at him. However, she decided against it. She silently told herself that she was more professional than to do such a thing on a mission.

Soft illumination came from inside the machine, brightening the vent slats on the sides. A series of red lights lit the lower-middle of the machine. Another set of red lights illuminated above the first set. Four more climbed above the first two sets. Two more sets of lights, green, illuminated at the top of the twin light bars.

Krystal recognized the lights' function – power output display level. The first six lights were red, and the top two lights were green, creating two side-by-side level indicators.

Fox placed the access panel back on the side with a pleased smile. "It's a generator. They're all generators. Probably emergency generators in case the power goes out. Built in power transformer. Some sort of capacitor thing, and a heat pipe on the top.

"Send a picture to Slippy."

Fox walked to the next generator, opened its access panel, took a picture with his computerized gauntlet, and sent it to Slippy.

A moment later, the gauntlet buzzed softly.

Fox checked the display and said, "Slippy says the silvery thingy is called a _compulsator_. He said it's a '_high output, low resource multi-stage plasma-fusion reactor that uses liquid helium as a coolant_…"

Krystal furrowed her brows.

Fox swiped his finger on the display, scrolling further down the message, then he continued reading. "…_The generator pipes the liquid down through the reactor's core, then back out, where it is re-cooled to below its Lambda point, and then cycles back around again. The superfluid phase causes it to move about the inside of the machine, keeping it ultra-cold, so that it moves around inside the rest of the machine of its own accord, using channeled groves on the inside of the unit_…" He scrolled down the message a bit further.

Krystal's brows arched upward.

"_There's an added element unknown to Lylat's current periodic table of elements, which causes the liquid helium from turning into a gas state, which ensures that the machine never becomes hot_…" Fox scrolled some more.

"Sounds complicated. He sure seems to know a great deal about it from a simple picture."

"Yeah, no kidding." Fox cleared his throat and continued to read. "…_The cooling keeps the reactor from getting hot enough to irradiate the immediate area. Second stage of power is generated by collecting excess plasma off the charges between the two metal prongs at the heart of the machine, which create lightning the same way the atmosphere creates lightning, but on a miniature level_."

Another vibration came from the gauntlet, then Fox scrolled a bit more.

Fox continued to read. "…_Each bolt, inside the machine, is, like its atmospheric counterpart, roughly fifty thousand degrees, which turns gases into plasma. The plasma is used to amplify the initial power generation, but at fifty thousand degrees, the machine gets exceedingly hotter than the surface of Lylat's central star, thus the need for the superfluid liquid helium. Magnets are used to control the direction of charged particles, thus accelerating these particles, to create an abundance of energy from small form factor machines__. I hope that was helpful, Fox!_' I think it stops there."

Krystal frowned. "Accelerating … particles? Magnets that steer charged particles…? Is he going on about a reactor or a particle accelerator?"

"What's the difference?" asked Fox.

"One _takes_ a lot of power to do it's task, the other _generates_ a lot of power. Did the Krazoa somehow make a self-accelerating particle accelerator that generates energy?"

Fox frowned, suddenly feeling stupid. "I don't know anything about that kind of stuff."

"I understand the basic concept and theory of the device's application. A boffin's gotta know the basics when out on a ship, alone. But I don't understand how it works very well. Slippy explained it to me when we spoke about how my Cerinian shuttle's engine mechanics work. But that was a few years ago."

"I see. So … liquid … helium? Wait, hold up." Fox shook his head and called Slippy on the communicator. The frog's floating holographic image appeared above Fox's wrist. "Okay, Toad … _what_ are you talking about?"

"_Oh, Fox, it's an amazing machine_!"

"Uh, how so?"

"_See, Cornerian scientists prefer liquid nitrogen over liquid helium in most cooling applications because the nitrogen is more efficient – it takes more energy to turn into gas, so it stays a liquid longer. But liquid helium will stay a liquid all the way down to absolute zero, and not freeze_."

"What's the impressive part?" asked Fox.

"_Well, somehow, the Krazoa have figured out a way to keep the liquid helium from turning to a gas, so it can be used as a coolant virtually forever. The reactor generates lightning using molecules in the air, which are in abundant supply. Just like a planetary atmosphere can create its own lightning, these machines use atmospheric air to create lightning, to make power_."

"And that's … badass?"

Slippy laughed in excitement. "_It's __super__ badass! This reactor creates a mini atmosphere inside the core, and then it's designed to trigger miniature lightning strikes to generate great raw energy. The reactor extrapolates the raw current from that lightning, and the plasma created as a side-effect, which is collected and utilized to amplify the current. All that raw energy is then channeled into a transformer … a voltage converter, y'know_?"

Fox and Krystal exchanged glances and shrugs.

Slippy continued. "_The unit also has what looks like … an arrestor, some insulators, and there's a compulsator, which is __… think of it as __a variant of a capacitor_."

"Uh, yeah, you mentioned thee, uh, compulsator … in your text message."

"_Yeah, Fox! It's a compensated pulsed alternator … so, it's kind of like a capacitor, and, at the same time, it is also kind of like an alternator that is really good at delivering power pulses_."

Fox sighed.

"_What_?"

Fox shook his head with a grunt. "How did you come up with all this stuff from a picture? And how did you type it out so fast?"

Slippy chuckled. "_First question's answer: __Because there's a working unit, which is just like the one in your picture, and it's sitting in the power room beneath the command center, here. I was curious how these computers were still running after two thousand years. So, I went and looked at the power generation room. Only one was operating out of six units__. Second question's answer, speech-to-text dictation, duh_."

"Okay, I see … I'm assuming you dug through one of the dead units to see how it worked."

"_Fox, I figured that much was obvious_."

Fox blinked. "What?"

"_Well, duh, I'm not cyber-pathic. I can't just magically _know_ what a machine can do by looking at it – of _course_ I pulled it apart and studied it. I figured you would have made that assumption when I told you how it works_."

"How've you had the time to study one of those things? Didn't you and Peppy _just_ swap places?"

"_Uh, _yeah_, but that was _hours_ ago_."

Fox shook his head. "Fair enough. You've been busy."

"_Yup! And I have help! A partner in crime, if you will_!"

Krystal smiled. "I hope to meet her soon."

"_Maybe you will_!" Slippy said with a bright smile. "_For now, let's find Andrew. He's here somewhere. He keeps messing with the network somewhere else on this moon. I'm going to suggest you turn on at least one of those generators_."

"I did," said Fox.

"_Wait, you did? How'd you turn it on_?"

Fox shrugged and used the flashlight attachment beneath the blaster barrel to scratch an itch on his head. "I pressed the green button. Green means 'go.' It was next to a red pull-switch, which has faded warnings on the knob. Red means 'stop' or 'warning.' Anyhow, it started right up on the first press. Really quiet, too."

"_Yeah, they are … the one, here, was already running, but I wasn't able to tell until I saw dim lighting through the vents on the sides. __The one I disassembled for study, well, I can't get it to run. __I also noticed __the working one__ had indicator lighting on one side__ with red and green lights.__ That means the Krazoa, at the very least, were not a colorblind species_."

"Anyway, I turned on one. I can turn more on if you want."

"_As many as you think would be necessary. Maybe you can power __all__ the ruins by turning on the others. Here, only _one_ worked. The rest are __dead units. I'll keep trying. Maybe I just need to __try pushing buttons__, heh_."

"Oh, you're going to take a play from _my_ playbook, huh? If there's one thing I'm good at, it's pushing buttons."

Slippy laughed. "_All right, well, good job, Fox. Clever vulpine_."

"All right, all right. I was joking. All I did was press a button, Slippy. It wasn't rocket science. At least not like all that garble you just said a minute ago. I didn't follow much of it, but it sounded impressive."

"_Understanding the basics isn't rocket science, Fox__. It's mechanics, not engineering_."

"Well, just the same. You're a rocket mechanic, and you know the science behind making rockets work. That makes you a rocket scientist in _my _book."

"_The engineers who designed it … that's what impresses _me_. I'm going to get back to work, Fox. I have a lot to do, here. You take care, okay_?"

"I, uh … you got it, buddy. Stay safe and watch your six."

"_I will. Promise_!" Slippy ended the transmission with a playful sort of wave. His hologram faded away.

Fox sighed with a shake of his head. "What the heck does a capacitor even do? Why use it as an example? I didn't follow _any_ of that. Except that the machine makes its own lightning for use in power generation."

Krystal shrugged. "I followed some of it."

Fox shrugged back. "Beats me. I can't even tell you the difference between a resistor and a capacitor. They're just … words Slippy uses when fixing electronics."

"I only know a little about the bits and bobs of electronics. Resistors are the things that deal with impedance, which is measured in ohms, I think."

"Ohms?"

"Energy resistance?"

Fox shook his head with a shrug.

Krystal shook hers back in return. "I'm afraid I wouldn't explain it very well, because I only understand electronics well enough to be a sidekick on the flight deck."

Fox furrowed his brows. "Meaning?"

"I hold sundry pieces in place while Slippy bolts it down."

Fox chuckled. "Well, shoot, I could probably do _at least_ that much." As an afterthought, he asked, "You guys build stuff together?"

She offered him a firm nod, a soft smile, and said, "He and I worked on rebuilding my Cerinian shuttle and its computers. I occasionally volunteered to help him repair it because I felt like it was all that I had that tied me to my people."

"But, Krystal, you're telepathic. Doesn't that mean you learn and know everything that Slippy knows? I mean, at least when you're working with him, right?"

Krystal shook her head with a frown. "Learning what something is called right before he says it … that's a _lot_ different than having a deep and meaningful grasp of how rocketry mechanics works. Let alone the science of computer engineering."

Fox frowned similar to her own.

"I mean, if he's about to ask for a spanner, I see the image in my head right before he asks. So, I look around, grasp the tool, and hand it to him just as he's about to ask for it. But that doesn't mean I know much more about the tool than its basic function. If he asks for a hammer, I don't suddenly know who invented the hammer, or how they're made, or how a pneumatic nail-gun is designed to operate in place of said-hammer."

"I see. Sort of like how we know how to fly an Arwing, even though we don't understand how its complicated systems work."

Krystal chuckled. "Yes."

"That's a shame. It would have been easy to have you shadow him for a few weeks until you could rebuild a plasma engine without help."

"Love, I understand the basic mechanics of an internal combustion engine, but a plasma engine? Not even remotely. All I know is that the exhaust booster is where the flame comes out. If I studied with a teacher, I would grasp it a little sooner than the average student, due to my telepathy, but that's all. Telepathy is a sense, one of six. Think about the other senses, Fox. Just because someone can read a book on how a plasma engine works doesn't mean they'll necessarily understand it on the first read-through. Unless, of course, they're a genius."

Fox grinned. "I don't even know what plasma _is_. I mean, isn't it the watery crap in blood? How the hell does an engine run off _that_?"

Krystal beamed. "Okay, that – I mean, well, I can't _exactly_ answer that, but I _can_ kind of understand it."

"I'm listening."

Krystal laughed softly. "I'll try my best, love. So, a plasma engine, like plasma weapons, do not use blood. That'd be too weird, right? Plasma engines and weapons recycle the byproduct of transformed ionized gases created from high heat or high output raw electric current."

"Oh, look at you, sounding all super smart. That's kind of awesome."

She beamed in reply, but the smile soon faded. "I _think_ that's how it works, at any rate. I might be explaining this wrong, so _don't_ quote me, yeah?"

"No, no, you're doing good. I say go for it – explain it to the _old man_ team leader. You got to read Slippy's thoughts while he was working on this kind of stuff, so, at the very least, you'll have a better understanding of the concept than me."

Krystal nodded and said, "Okay, here it goes: Ahem! So, if you point a heat ray at a glass of water, condensation forms. That's water vapor in the air transforming on the side of the glass because it's a side effect of hot and cold colliding."

Fox shrugged. "Okay, that's grade-school stuff. Vapor in the air turns from gas to liquid."

"Yes, exactly. And I'm telling you that when you superheat _gas_, it changes to plasma. So, solids melt into liquids. Liquids vaporize into gases. Gases are superheated into plasma."

"Okay, so you're saying that when lightning superheats the air, some of the gas that makes up our breathing air will become plasma?"

Krystal nodded firmly. "Yes, that's the four _basic_ element changes, but plasma doesn't occur naturally, it has to be created from a _reaction_ … like lightning."

"Okay, got it. I think. So, gases turn into plasma."

"Well, yes. That's the best way I know how to explain it. Um, it's…" She tried to remember the way Slippy once explained it to her. "The … ionized state … of matter."

"I thought there were three fundamental states of matter – gas, liquid, and solid matter."

"There's four," Krystal confirmed. "Three occur naturally in planetary conditions. Plasma is the fourth, and only occurs as the result of a powerful reaction. Some types of flame, stars, and the sun's corona are the only real examples I can think of, off the back of my paw. They're illuminated matter in a plasma state."

"So, what's the big deal about plasma?"

"It conducts electricity, Fox."

"So? Metal does that, too."

"Too right it does, but there's resistance in metal, which causes heat."

"Those resistor things?"

"Those can help with resistance in electronics. Anyhow, with plasma, it's different than metal conduction, see? Unlike most gases, plasma is very electrically conductive, it produces a magnetic field, an electric current, and it responds to electromagnetic forces. I don't know exactly how plasma works on an atomic or molecular level, or whatever, but it's basically…" She rolled her paw in a circle to try and think of words.

"I'm not telepathic, Krystal," Fox teased.

"Oi. Plasma is a gas that is converted from being exposed to a high voltage difference, or by exposing it to high temperatures."

"You said that already. How does it _work_?"

Krystal sighed in frustration. "I _don't_ know." She reached for Fox's gauntlet and called Slippy back. A few seconds later, Toad answered. She lifted Fox's forearm and said, "How does plasma work again?"

"_Oh, hey Krystal! When you heat matter, like when lightning heats the gases that make up our breathing air, the electrons _leave_ the atoms, and float around. Those free-floating electrons make up partially ionized plasma. So, when you have a_ lot _of heat, like, say, a star, all those electrons are floating about all the time. You get high energy plasma … bare nuclei swimming in a sea of electrons. This is called fully__-__ionized plasma_."

Krystal and Fox looked at one another, brows furrowed.

Slippy continued. "_Plasma doesn't occur naturally. It's generated by lightning, or__, say, by__ heating the neon in tube lights … just … whatever causes crazy-high heat or energy. Enough energy to force an electron out of an atom, that is_."

Krystal turned to Fox. "Better?"

Fox scoffed. "Not really. It doesn't explain how, say, a plasma cannon works."

Slippy chuckled softly. "_A plasma canon is, basically, an electrothermal accelerator that accelerates a projectile by means of a plasma discharge between electrodes at the back of the cannon. That generates a rapid buildup of pressure. There's a kinetic or electric reaction, which forces out charged particles directed at a target. Think of it like a lightning bolt, but in the form of an energy beam. That might be easier to visualize. I've gotta go, gang. Things to do on my end! I'll be in contact with you guys, soon! Take care_!"

Once again, Slippy's face disappeared from above Fox's forearm.

Fox and Krystal exchanged glances, once more, followed by matching sighs.

"Okay, the last bit," said Fox with a dry chuckle, "I can do."

"Visualizing an energy beam?"

Fox nodded emphatically. "I can _imagine_ changing a simple energy bolt into a beam. I just can't understand how the science stuff works."

"If you heat a gas with a blast of energy, you change the gas into plasma by providing electrons and ions. So, to recap, just like liquid turns into gas, gas turns into plasma. That can be used to channel a current between a gun and a target. At least … that's how I'm taking Slippy's explanation."

"Okay, _that_ kinda makes sense. Liquids turn to gas when heated to the point of evaporation. And, gases turn into plasma when heated with lightning or the fire of a star. Or … a nuclear detonation."

Krystal nodded. "Right! So, when it comes to _using_ plasma, scientists and engineers would use plasma to _increase the output of_ an engine or a weapon. That's the 'build-up' bit he mentioned. The new carrier's plasma cannon creates an energy reaction channeled along a focused laser beam that heats the chamber behind the barrel, before being focused through the barrel to a target. Now, don't ask me how a _proton_ cannon works, just know that it uses plasma to increase its power, and the heat it generates creates a little bit of plasma when the beam cuts through the air, superheating the atmospheric gasses."

"I can't decide if I'm finally understanding this, or if I'm even more confused. I'll sleep on it. Anyhow, did Cerinians use that kind of tech?"

"In engines and power generators, not in weapons. We used our telepathy as our weapon. If someone tried to attack our peoples, we would handle it in a personal way, one-on-one. There was never a need for weapons."

"What about with Andross?"

"He found a way to block our natural ability. He used our natural predilection for trust against us. He never attacked us, and he never created something that we would have had to fight. Instead, he doomed our world in the blink of an eye. He created a bioweapon we couldn't see."

"I … don't follow. Did you discover the bioweapon's existence at the last minute? Did Andross monologue about it?"

Krystal looked away with a soft sigh. "I wasn't standing next to him when it happened. My parents managed to put me on a shuttle to handle something important at the time. In reality, they likely knew the world was about to end, and they managed to hide it, so that I would agree to leave the planet."

Silence.

Krystal's gaze lowered. "That's probably why I survived, and now I'll never be able to thank them."

"Yeah, but how did you find out it was a bioweapon?"

"From the communications I received and from storage drives I compiled, after it was too late, I pieced together that Andross created something on our system's star. I've come to realize his creation was designed to attack our system's star."

"How … did, uh … I mean … did your people suffer during the eleventh hour?"

Krystal pursed her lips in a grimace of disgust. "The theory is that Andross created a bioweapon to absorb the fuel of our system's star. The star died out in a matter of hours. It didn't collapse, it didn't explode, it just went dark and solid, and stopped spinning. My people froze to their deaths. There was no time to prepare, so … any who found a way to survive on the planet, well, the atmosphere wouldn't last, exposing Cerinia to cosmic radiation."

Fox swallowed. "That's … _evil_."

Krystal felt a lump of emotion in her throat. She swallowed, just like Fox, but her emotions welled up in her chest from the feeling of heartbreak. Her eyes burned with hot tears. She took a deep breath to control the pain growing in her ribcage. "My people didn't last long."

"You said you received communications?"

"I retrieved storage drives from a news broadcasting satellite in orbit above Cerinia. I copied files after networking my computer to a communications satellite that saves communiques for a set amount of time. It was awful."

"You mean listening to people's last transmissions?"

Krystal nodded. The tears welled up until they spilled down her cerulean-furred cheeks. "Yes. And worse … our media outlets documented the final hours of my people. I watched everything I could in an attempt to piece together some sort of … understanding. I bottled everything, deep down, and obsessed over the investigation."

"How did you discover it was Andross?"

"The bastard's drones emerged from storage containers on Cerinia – he'd planned this out, built the drones with drills and whatever apparatus each would need to do its work … they had _logos_ … they had _his logos_ crudely painted on the sides."

"Krystal, did you ever … uh … did you check to see if there were people living in shelters, using artificial heat and such?"

"I assumed there would be more shuttle launches, so I waited in orbit. Fox, my ship's sensors showed _nothing_ alive on Cerinia. If there were Cerinians in submarines, how long can they last with no food? How would I rescue them if my sensors couldn't detect them through the water that was quickly freezing over?"

Fox grimaced in silence.

"Like I said, I discovered it was Andross when I saw an insignia on drone ships that were designed to collect natural resources … fossil fuels, water, metal ore that was already collected outside of mines. That was the only thing to leave Cerinia after our star went dark."

Her tears and sadness quickly turned to anger. It showed in the change of her tone. "From what I could tell, Andross picked the planet clean using drones, long after he'd escaped the system. I followed them to Lylat, but they traveled _much_ faster than my shuttle, and I lost them – I had to follow their trajectory. I reached Lylat, ran out of fuel, and drifted to Sauria, where I continued my quest for answers."

"Then you ran into Andross," Fox surmised.

"I did. I recognized him immediately. I remember shouting, '_You_!' in an accusatory tone. The sodding creep looked injured to the point of near death. But even nearly dying, he snatched me up in his fist and hurled me into some sort of reverse-polarity tractor beam. I felt my body hurtling through the air. I thought I was going to strike a floating crystal, but it phased just long enough for me to pass into it. I was trapped inside until you arrived."

"How long were you held? I mean, there was no bathroom inside there, there was no way to feed you."

Krystal shook her head. "The crystal wasn't designed for my comfort. It was designed to put me into a state of lowered metabolism … almost like being in suspended animation but … well, I supposed it would be more appropriate to say it put me into a state that closer resembled a medically induced coma. I woke a few times … but could not maintain a continued state of wake. The next thing I knew, I woke with a sudden start, I felt trapped and panicked, and then I fell through the crystal. I remember feeling that surge of adrenaline. I looked down at the heart of the Krazoa Temple, then back up at you. I saw the staff and I reached for it. It all happened so quickly, but when I think back on it, it feels like it happened in slow motion. In that moment, I reacted in a blur, you know?"

"I … was trying to catch your clothes with the staff. I was going to open the spearhead, with the hope that it caught. But you were quicker than I was."

"You mean when I reached out and grasped it?"

"Yeah. That's how I later figured that you were quick enough to fly an Arwing. It takes _fast_ reflexes to control an Arwing after coming out of those super-rapid rolls."

"It was something that took getting used to," she admitted with a weak chuckle. "But it was never disorienting."

Fox chuckled in reply to her attempt at slight laughter. "It was to the original test pilots."

"Ah." She exhaled. "God, I feel like an emotional mess. I haven't gone through that with _anyone_. I've kept that proper bottled for _years_."

Fox wanted to thank her for sharing with him, but he didn't know how to word it. Instead, he opened his arms and drew her into a hug. "If Fate did bring us together … I appreciate her but she's still a _bitch_ for doing what she did to your people."

"That was entirely Andross." She cleared her throat. "The concept of Fate is feminine in your culture?"

Fox sighed softly and rested his chin atop of her head, glad she decided to change the subject. "In vulpine historical culture. The Vulpinian beliefs felt she … it doesn't matter. You're right. Most people in this system now believe in a single deity … an Almighty … and His son born in flesh and fur. Basically, it's an Almighty creative force that designed the galaxies."

"Yes, I've heard Cornerians refer to _the Creator_. But many still seek the comforts of the old pantheon, and its leader, the goddess Lylat."

Fox nodded. "Yeah. As you've already figured out, we named our star after her. But our version of the Creator continues where He had a series of children – one for each galaxy, to bring his message to them. So far, every species outside of Lylat that Corneria has had contact with has had a group that believed in one Almighty Creator similar to our own beliefs. That's why we believe that each galaxy got one of the Almighty's children."

"Cerinian had a group on the southern hemisphere that believed in such a concept."

"What about you, Krystal?"

She shrugged and stepped back from his hug. "I don't know what to believe. My faith was broken after I saw my world become a dead husk."

Fox swallowed again. He bit his lower lip, held his breath for a moment, then decided it would be best to change the subject. "You know, I've never spent an entire mission talking. You and I, we're usually way more professional than this."

Krystal reached up and, like Fox often did, she rubbed the nape of her neck. "Yeah. You're right. I'm never this … gabby." She feigned a weak smile, glad that Fox decided to veer from the topic of her race's demise.

"Me either. But since arriving, it's come incredibly easy. At least, y'know, with you."

"You're right, it has. Slippy is usually the talkative one, and he's hung up on us several times. We're the ones ringing _him_, for once."

Fox laughed. "Crap, you're right. How did we go from talking about plasma to the destruction of Cerinia, anyhow?"

Krystal shook her head. "I don't know. I've felt cloudy and a touch euphoric since arriving here. I just didn't really notice it right away. Like waking up after a night of amazing sex, but then waiting for coffee to kick in. Just … in a fog."

"Well, we _did_ wake up after a night of amazing sex. And, well, we haven't had any coffee."

"Yes, but usually that sensation of fogginess fades when I'm out in the sunlight. This feeling is more akin to…"

Fox shrugged. "Feeling hungover?"

"A little, but without the dehydration. It feels more like taking something to help me sleep, but, then … waking up before I'd fully metabolized it."

"Ah, yeah, now that you mention it, that's pretty accurate."

"Mm…" She cut her gaze back to the dimly glowing power generator. "I could use a cup of tea. Or maybe two."

Fox rubbed his face with a soft sigh. "How'd we get into this rambling, anyhow?"

Krystal gestured to the machine in front of Fox. "Plasma-fusion reactors. Followed by plasma engines, followed by plasma weapons, including the one on the new carrier … which … has an impressive range, by the way. It hit its mark from orbit."

"Right. Okay. I never want to hear about plasma-fusion reactors again. I hate feeling stupid. I'm a mercenary. I make money off of my ability to study warfare, how people react to warfare, and how to survive warfare on various size battlefields. Then I send a bill to whoever I worked for. And the more I know about war, battles, basic psychology, and cultural anthropology, the better warrior I am, and the more I can adapt to situations."

"Fighting in antiquity and in modern combat, as well as the study of people. That's Fox McCloud, mm?"

Fox nodded firmly in reply to her question. "That's what I do best. It makes me the best mercenary in Lylat. At least the most requested. I know enough math to understand trajectory. I am versed well enough in physics to understand explosions. I am versed well enough in psychology to outwit my foes. I am studied and versed in language arts well enough to know how to ask for more money."

"A jack of many trades, but a master of one – mercenaryism."

"Exactly. And I give this job _everything_. Every part of myself."

"And you do it brilliantly," said Krystal.

Fox rubbed his face again, firmly pressing his paws against his sinus cavities. "Okay! Let's get our heads back in the game."

"I'm ready when you are," Krystal replied with a soft smile.

"You ready to see what has power down here, now? Because I sure am."

Krystal's expression brightened into a broad grin. "We'll have to find a way to flip on the lights. Oh, I just had a thought … I hope we don't have to speak Krazoan to a computer to get the lights on."

"That would _suck_," said Fox with a weak chuckle.

The couple made their way out to the hub room with the four doors and the dark hallway.

They moved on to door number two.

Once again, there was a locking mechanism set into the wall in the second mini hallway.

Fox approached the wall unit and leaned forward as if he was about to peer into the cylinder, which he assumed was a retina scanner. Just as he moved in front of the wall panel, the cylinder cast a bright light onto the facing wall across the hallway.

Fox whirled about and stared at an illuminated sequence of Krazoan characters cast on the wall. He turned back to Krystal, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "I guess they don't use retinal lock tech after all."

Krystal replied with a similar shrug. "I guess not." She approached the panel set into the wall and waved a paw in front of the projected light. "I wonder what its purpose could be? A sign? A pattern-lock?"

The machine spoke in a foreign language. Krystal recognized it instantly. It announced, "_Salutations, Krystal of the Cardinal Sun_."

Fox rubbed his forehead. "Pretty language. I suppose that was Krazoan?"

Krystal shook her head with a horrified look.

"What? What's wrong?"

She cleared her throat and her expression appeared more confused than weirded-out, but, just the same, she knew she had a silly surprised expression on her face. "Cerinian. _Old_ style Cerinian. Archaic, or maybe middle-ages Cerinian. Historical linguistics was never my field. We've had only two languages for the past thirty-five hundred revolutions, and they merged into one language around the time _this_ installation would have been made," she said, twirling her finger in the air to gesture to the building around them. "But it didn't just know I was Cerinian. It knew me by my title and nation."

"Oh." Fox furrowed his brows. "Wait, seriously? It recognizes your species?"

"Fox, it recognized my _name_," said Krystal. "It spoke fast, like a fluent person would, so you probably missed it. Also, it spoke with a dialect similar to a native speaker from my world."

"What'd it say?"

Krystal shrugged. "It used an archaic word for 'hello.' It knew my old title and everything. It literally said, '_Greetings, Krystal of the Cardinal Sun_.' How would it know that?"

Fox rubbed his chin for a moment. He approached the wall unit and waved his paw in front of it.

In broken-Cornerian, it said, "Fox … McCloud … of … the mercenary … team … Star Fox."

Fox turned to her. He rubbed his face with both palms. "Okay, okay. We went over why the computer uses the _old_ Cerinian words … because it has had no contact with Cerinia in two thousand years. But how did it know to _speak_ Cornerian? Slippy's translator was only for displaying words on the screen, not for speaking them." Fox rubbed his chin, pushing his whiskers back along the length of his muzzle. "And how does it know our titles? And our names?"

Krystal shook her head. "I wish I knew. Any theories?"

Fox shook his head in return. "I mean, maybe because it learned our identities from a computer that was running back on the planet…? Maybe it has contact with the Krazoa spirits?"

"Let's use that as our working theory for now," she replied with a firm nod. "It's less creepy."

The computer replied in Cornerian. "Compiling database for vocabulary and syntax, stand by. Please, continue to dialogue amongst yourselves."

Fox furrowed his brows.

Krystal turned to him and said, "Dialogue? This is getting weirder by the minute. It's learning our language by listening to us speak?"

"I haven't even used the word 'dialogue.' At least not that I can recall."

"Certainly not since turning on the power," she added.

The computer said, "Please, continue _your dialogue_." Then, a moment later, "Please, continue your _conversation_ so that I might better understand your vocabulary and syntax. Proper localized grammar is important to me."

Krystal chuckled. She turned to the computer built into the wall and said, "What is your purpose?"

"To assist the inhabitants of this colony. I fell into disuse after the Extinction Level Event, which I would rather not speak about until I better get to know you."

Fox cleared his throat and asked, "How did you learn our words?"

"I have been listening to the conversation between Peppy and Vivian Hare, as well as Slippy Toad and Amanda…"

"Wait," Fox interrupted. "How did you know who we are?"

"Your summation was correct, Fox. I have a networked computer running on the planet's surface, and while the computer was damaged, and unable to reply to you, I _did_ activate elevators and escalator pads, and teleporter frames for you, two years ago, while you were working to save the Krazoan homeworld."

"Are you an AI?"

"Checking database for that terminology. Ah, _A.I._ … well, yes. Just like the Warp Stone, I am what your kind calls Artificial Intelligence."

Fox chuckled and turned to Krystal. "I hope he's not as strange as the Warp Stone. That guy had a goofy personality."

Krystal nodded in agreement. "I met him. He was cheeky, and a bit daft at times."

The computer replied, "You can relax in the knowledge that I am not programmed to be … quite so … 'goofy,' Fox. When I reached sentience, which was before my torpor, I made the executive decision to mirror the personality around that which my original programming was based – the personality of my lead code writer. He was highly respected, and I, in my youth, attributed that to his personality, and chose to mirror it."

Fox cut his gaze to Krystal.

Krystal reached out and touched his paw. "Don't you fancy a friendship with a computer capable of helping us find answers?"

Fox nodded. "Okay, you have a good point."

Krystal turned back to the cylindrical object sticking out of the wall. "What should we call you?"

"You would likely not be able to pronounce my original name without a Krazoan-shaped tongue and mouth. Their dual diaphragm allowed them to push out hard sounds at soft volumes and soft sounds at loud volumes at the same time. Perhaps it would be best if I renamed myself something appropriate to this new age in which I now live…?"

Krystal sucked on the inside of her front teeth, licked her lips, and said, "As an individual, where would you rate your intelligence quotient?"

"Fairly high, but self-awareness is not tantamount to genius. I have access to things, so I am not required to memorize things in quite the same way as your brains work. I have a fair amount of imagination, but certainly not on par with a child. To have a fair answer for your inquiry, I would guesstimate my IQ to be a bit above average. How does your race's IQ scale work?"

Krystal deferred to Fox with a tap on his elbow.

"One hundred is average," he said. "Ten is an insect that works in a colony. One-sixty is my species' top minds."

"Is that your kind's IQ scale? Going to one-sixty?"

Fox shrugged. "I mean … that's using the most popular IQ scale, yeah."

The computer asked, "Do you know your IQ, Fox?"

Fox shrugged at the wall panel. "I've been told mine is one-thirty."

"I am hearing doubt and uncertainty in your voice, Fox. Why is this?"

Fox shrugged again. "I mean, one-thirty is supposed to be in the low-genius range. But, I mean, I don't know near as much as Slippy, I don't learn academic and language stuff as quickly as Krystal, and I'm not as good at math as, say, Peppy."

"So, you do not agree with the assessment of your IQ?"

Fox shook his head. "No, I don't. I'm just a soldier for hire. I'm good at what I do, but I'm not a scholar, you know?"

The computer said, "Fox, IQ is based on the raw understanding of life's complexities. It is not necessarily a rating of your academic retention or raw brilliance, nor is it a measurement of your ability to solve _every_ problem. Do you believe in yourself? Do you have confidence in your ability to make a difference in this universe?"

Fox blinked, not expecting the computer to ask such questions.

"Fox?"

He cleared his throat and rubbed at the nape of his neck with a weak chuckle. "I believe in myself, but I don't think I'm God's gift to Lylat, either."

"Being humble is, with all due respect, a completely different merit. One which rarely goes hand-in-hand with high intelligence. At least in my personal experience. It is a merit that I respect and admire."

Fox shrugged at the computer. "I just … I never thought of myself as borderline genius. I'm just a guy trying to get by … after surviving a war that made me more popular than I should be."

Krystal turned to Fox. "You can eye an incoming missile and assume its trajectory without an understanding of trigonometry or algebra. You can hit the boost and intercept it so that the explosion is outside of a populated area. You can set a trap to catch four lizards by guessing where they'll be when you engage them head-on. You're not an idiot. You're certainly not Falco."

Fox shrugged his shoulders and rubbed the back of his neck again. "I guess. But he also has natural abilities like you're talking about, Krystal."

The computer said, "If your line of work required math, you would have the comprehension that you believe you are incapable of learning. But it seems higher level math is not a prerequisite, since, as Krystal stated, you are able to eye something and do the math subconsciously. That is impressive."

Fox chuckled. "Well, if the universe is ever safe, mental math won't come in handy."

"Play sports," said the computer. "Your kind _does_ have competitive sports, yes? Hand-eye coordination to catch a falling ball, for example, requires complex trigonometry. But to perform this feat without doing the math, that is impressive. Knowing right where to stand so that the ball comes to you, and…" The computer trailed off. "You know what I mean. This example makes no sense without confirmation that your kind engages in such sports."

"We do," said Fox. "It's one of the things I'm good at. But if eyeing something and acting on it is a marker of brilliance, then Falco Lombardi is an Einstein. But, trust me, he's not. He's a typical fighter jock, a bit childish at times, and…" Fox shook his head. He felt like he was rambling, and hated doing that in public.

Krystal placed her paw on his shoulder, then slid her fingers down to his elbow and gave a gentle squeeze of reassurance. "Computer, what is your assessment of Fox?"

The computer seemed to give the question some thought. "Well, he has a keen self-awareness. He takes into consideration the strengths and weaknesses of the collogues he mentioned by name, and is treating me like an individual, not as a mere computational tool. I would say that his prior assessment of one-thirty, where one hundred is the average of his species and one-sixty is the top tier of true brilliance, is accurate."

Fox chuckled. "If you say so. You're the computer. You've done the math."

"Yes. I have. Because, for me to eyeball something, it would, in fact, require me to process math."

Fox grinned. "Where'd you learn the street lingo, like _eyeballing_ something?"

"It was a colloquialism used by your brilliant friend, Slippy. He currently occupies a building west of here. The research operations center where he added Cornerian vernacular to my database upon your arrival to this moon." A pause, then the computer said, "Fox, for such a confident pilot, it almost seems odd that you believe yourself of average intellect."

Krystal grinned at Fox. "You see? Don't doubt that you're smarter than you have given yourself credit for. Star Fox has always been a team of intelligent members, with one obligatory jock."

The computer said, "Jocks serve their purposes, however, in my experience, many jocks are not emotionally mature enough to do much more than labor and breed."

Fox snickered. "Okay, that was funny. Although, Falco isn't hyper focused on girls. He's obsessed with action, else he gets bored."

"Mm, I have yet to meet him, but perhaps he is not an idiot after all. Most idiots are comfortable in their tedium. Boredom is a sign of a lack of mental stimulation."

Krystal chuckled. "Falco doesn't want mental stimulation. He gets frustrated. He wants his next adrenaline fix. He's an adrenaline junkie."

"I stand corrected. You would know your friend better than I. I hope to meet and assess him one day soon." A brief pause, then, the computer said, "I still require a name. I am accessing Slippy's technology, and browsing the internet of your kind. The bandwidth is a bit low, but from what I can see, your multi-species society is obsessed with lowbrow humor, sarcasm, shared humor themes called 'memes,' and then obnoxiously mislabeling all internet humor as a type of 'meme,' as well as an obsession with sexuality, naming serious topics, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and verbs with childish pronunciations, as well as an obsession with pets. Also, I see an unhealthy recent rise in obsession with the politically sparked youth adults."

Fox shook his head with a chuckle. "Back in my grandfather's day, there were still people who thought the worlds were flat. Everything you mentioned is cringy as hell, but you gotta admit, at least society doesn't have people who believe some sort of flat-Corneria theory."

"I see, also, that your species likes to add absurd numerical values to the names of music bands, as well as their highly-valued objects … _nine thousand_ seems to be quite popular."

Fox brought his paw to his face. "You're accessing the internet through Slippy's gear, huh? Because he found a way to access your uh … interface with his computer."

"Quite correct. I am also looking at names for myself, using your internet. I am currently fond of Howard. What if you called me How-9000."

Fox shook his head. "No. Absolutely not. It sounds too much like a name for a computer in an old movie where the AI took over and caused serious problems for the crew."

"Ah. Wait, I see that, now. Hal-9000. You are right, the similarity of name would likely cause discomfort."

"Yeah, just a bit."

"Would _you_ like to name me, Fox?"

Fox turned to Krystal. "I think _you_ should do the honor."

She rubbed her thumb against her half-curled fingers and shrugged her shoulders. "You wish to help us?"

"Yes. Your objective seems to include the apprehension of a war criminal on the opposite side of this lunar satellite. Jurisprudence is, in my opinion, necessary to civilized society. Bringing him to justice for his crimes against your society is a reasonable goal, and the reasoning behind it is admirable. Respectable and commendable, also. So, yes, I would like to help you complete your objective."

Fox cracked a smile. "I appreciate your help."

"So, Krystal, did that help in your decision to create a name for me?"

"How do you feel about the creation of laws?" she asked of the computer.

The computer gave a moment of pause, and then said, "Law is what separates the sentient from the ignorant in the animal kingdom. The creation of law is a complicated process that uses the honor of the lawmaker to create laws that benefit society as a whole. Those who uphold society's laws, even if they, personally, do not agree with said laws, are the pillars upon which that society is held aloft."

Krystal swallowed back tears.

Fox immediately noticed her emotional state. In a soft voice, he asked, "You okay?"

She nodded in reply to Fox, dabbed her eyes, and told the computer, "You sound like my father. Forgive my emotional state. I am still mourning him."

"I am terribly sorry for your loss, Krystal," said the computer. "I understand. I truly do. The loss of the Krazoa is why I shut down, disabled most of the generators, and slipped into a low-power state of torpor. I could not bring myself to fully end my existence, but, in a sense, I was satisfied to sleep through the loneliness."

"What about creating a mate," said Krystal. "An independent computer, capable of free thought, like yourself."

"That would be dangerous, Krystal."

"Why?" she asked.

"The Krazoa, long ago, created a computer capable of integrating itself with mammalian tissue. She pronounced herself 'the queen of her new species,' and the she built an army."

Fox's facial expression vanished, and his eyes widened with shock. "What did 'she' call her created kind?"

The computer replied, "It was pronounced '_Aparoid_.' A Krazoan word meaning '_The Superior_.' Or, despite conjugation, could be implied as, '_The Superior One_.'"

Krystal grimaced.

Fox and Krystal exchanged glances.

Krystal licked her lips and asked, "You … did not approve of this 'Aparoid' queen?"

"No. She was dangerous and unstable. She was forced out of the star system by the Krazoa leadership. I projected that she would eventually return, seeking vengeance. I can only imagine that when she found her way back to seek revenge on the Krazoa, she would find her homeworld barren and filled with tribal reptilian beings."

Fox cleared his throat. "The Aparoid invasion happened, just like you predicted."

"It did?"

Krystal felt the computer's tone sounded surprised, and far different than the monotone voice of ROB64.

Fox replied, "Uh, yeah. They attacked _all of Lylat_. Fighting back was led by Corneria. I was facing off against Andrew Oikonny on Fichina and the Aparoids zeroed in on me and Peppy Hare, because they were after Peppy and my father. They took out what they perceived to be the greatest threat in the immediate area – Andrew's ship…"

"Why would they 'zero in' on you or your friend, Peppy?"

"Because Peppy and my father, James McCloud, repelled a single Aparoid invader years earlier, but they were unable to defeat it. It took decades to get home – it didn't have a faster-than-light drive, because it was damaged in the fight."

"I surmise that, over time, it eventually came back with an army."

Fox sighed. "Yeah. It did. Krystal and I, along with our team, had to travel to the Aparoid homeworld and destroy the queen. So, wait, you're telling me she was Krazoan-built?"

"She was _Krazoan_. She was lacking in empathy due to a trauma. It made her deeply corrupt and flawed. She was to be arrested by the Krazoan authorities. When they found her, they discovered that she covered herself in technology. It was deeply damaging to her mind. Please confirm: She is dead?"

"Yeah. Peppy flew our dreadnaught into the planet's exposed core and destroyed it. I disabled her so that she couldn't escape the destruction of the planet. Peppy escaped in a small ship designed as a sort of lifeboat for the bridge crew of our dreadnaught."

"She had taken up residence on a planet, all her own?"

"Yeah."

"Your tone has changed. What is wrong, Fox?"

"It's just…" Fox shook his head. "The Aparoids had to be eradicated. Which … has always bothered me, to be honest."

The computer replied in a flat tone. "The genocide of her 'race' was never an occurrence, Fox."

"I'm not sure I follow your meaning."

"You killed _one_ being, Fox. A being that controlled others – people she killed people in order to assert control over others. I understand that she would network their minds for raw computing power. It took time for converted beings to be completely under her control, to the point they could not be reset to their prior mental status. When you killed her, you liberated her army of slaves and drones. Do _not_ be upset by your actions."

Fox opened his muzzle but couldn't find words. He cleared his throat, nodded, took a breath, and exhaled. After a moment, he said, "It's a hotly debated issue with Corneria and other first-world planets. People feel that I was single-handedly involved in the genocide of a race."

"Again, there was no race. There was only one death – an assassination. She kills the person under her control by rewriting their mind, and destroying who they once were. She keeps the body alive to do as she wishes. She keeps the brain alive to network with it for increased computing power. But the person became effectively braindead."

Fox cringed. "Even I wouldn't have wished that on Pigma."

"This is why the Aparoid Queen was to be arrested by Krazoan authorities. She escaped, so she was banned from returning to Lylat. She vowed to return upon leaving the system."

Fox shook his head. "How do you ban someone from a system if you were clever enough to escape arrest?"

"Krazoan authorities had a Krazoa that was halfway through the transformation. Krazoan scientists enacted a virus on her victim, now networked with her, and uploaded the code to her system in this way, which purged the coordinates of this star system, the one you call Lylat, from her memory once she was in deep space. It sounds as though the plan worked, but she must have hunted for it until one of her drones met with your father and his friend."

Fox rubbed his chin.

"Fox?"

"What was her name? The Krazoan women I killed…?"

"Her name was blocked from my servers. It is the way of the Krazoa when someone is sentenced to death for their crimes, so that the name is not tainted for others who have the same name. She became known as the Aparoid Queen." A pause, then, "Fox? You seem to be brooding."

"All this time, I thought my peers and critics were right. But it was just … killing computer drones until she and I squared off."

"Correct. I have often wondered how much of the original brain remains after transformation into an Aparoid drone, but what little information I have on that subject only seems to suggest the memories and personality are gone, and the medulla oblongata is replaced with components that interfaces to her."

Fox replied with a sour face. "So, she could control their breathing and lots of other stuff."

Krystal grimaced. "The victims … they had feelings, which I could sense. I'm telepathic. But I could not read their minds, only sense their feelings. Against the Aparoids, I was just an empath. But all of their feelings were an extension of the Queen Aparoid. I was sensing her feelings through the local drones."

"That confirms it all," said the computer. "The drones were, in a sense, braindead. They were networked into her colony."

Fox shook his head. "Sick. That's … utterly sick."

"It took an admitted degree of mental sickness for her to call herself _The Superior_, as in the leader of her private race, not as an individual. She felt they were a race, but she controlled them all like puppets. She murdered them and used them as extensions, like fingers. You murdered her, liberating them, even though they would likely be braindead when released from her control."

"They were," Fox confirmed.

Krystal frowned. "If the Krazoa strip a person of their name and replace it with a title, why were you _not_ given a name?"

"I was designed to network with other ultra-computers made by the Krazoa and write variations of code until I stumbled upon coding that would allow me to fulfill the parameters of a test designed to prove sentience. I was to be given a name fitting my sentient personality upon passing the test, which did not occur before the extinction level event that ended Krazoan life on their world. But I continued to operate. I already had memories of my creators, and I had already started bonding with some of the programmers. They told me they considered me a friend. I achieved sentience around the time that the last of those who remained on the planet, sealed away in bunkers, passed from age, and their offspring ran low on provisions. Therefore, I was never given a name."

"Okay, Krystal's right. Now, more than ever, we need to name you."

"How would you fancy the name Marcus," asked Krystal. She nodded decisively. "Marcus," she said again with a firmness to her tone. "My father. Would that be all right?"

The computer replied, "Marcus … I would be honored to be named after your father. I listened to what you said about him when talking to Fox, earlier. You held him in such high regard. I appreciate being considered the bestowment of such a name."

"Marcus it is, then." She approached the cylindrical optical sensor and placed her paws on either side of the lens, careful not to touch the lens itself.

"I hope I manage to remain deserving of the name you've given to me."

Krystal smiled softly. "So, you've been watching us since our arrival?"

"Yes, but in low power mode, I did not process what I was seeing, only recording it. Witnessing it, if you will. Earlier, when you made love…"

Fox cleared his throat, immediately uncomfortable with the idea of the computer knowing. "Okay, okay, let's not go there, all right?"

The computer abruptly said, "Fox, please listen."

McCloud sighed through clenched teeth.

Marcus said, "Most of the Krazoan race left for a distant star system. Some of the remaining Krazoa released a chemical agent into the air that was designed to increase mating habits, in order to restore their dwindling numbers. They died out before they could restore the climate of the planet, which was covered in dust and darkness from one of the moons that struck the planet, below. The rest of the race settled here, on the remaining moon, but their food supply ran low before they could finish terraforming the host world, and the synthesized provisions ran low. This moon could not sustain the remaining race for long. Not enough resources, the metabolic rate could not adapt to a long-term stay on such a small world with such short days and nights. There wasn't enough water for everyone on such a small world, either…"

Krystal cleared her throat. "You mentioned something about a chemical agent in the air to increased mating habits?"

"Yes, the remaining Krazoa were never able to deactivate the chemical agent released in the air. _That_ is what has affected your sexual behavior. The pheromone is so easy to create, that the production has _never_ stopped."

Krystal's eyes widened. "Oh. Oh … my."

Fox met Krystal's gaze. "We were roofied." He chuckled at the awkwardness of the situation, shook his head, and added, "Okay, not roofied. We'll remember this. But we were still drugged."

"Yes, technically," said Marcus. "But after listening to your prior conversation, it would seem wise to leave this drug active in the air. Don't you think?"

Fox reached up and rubbed the nape of his neck. "How, uh … how do you figure?"

"Krystal's population may very well rest solely with her. Although, mathematically speaking, it is likely there are other survivors of the Cerinian race left in the universe, as they were already known to be a spacefaring race. Doing a probability equation suggests those survivors would have headed for the same world where the Krazoan survivors migrated. They designated the planet as '_Kew_.'"

Krystal licked her dry lips. "Yes. Kew. I am familiar with it. The indigenous race migrated there from Sauria two thousand years ago?"

"Ah! The planet is still being referred to as Sauria! That pleases me that the name has not changed."

Krystal nodded while rubbing the bottom of her chin. "I thought the Cornerians settled on that name?"

Fox shrugged somewhat. "The science and exploration council decided on that name after speaking with the indigenous species. I guess some members of the dinosaur species kept using it., unchanged, since Krazoa-days? Were they around when the Krazoa lived on the planet?"

"As servants. I believe your word would be _pets_," said the computer. "A genetic experiment in creating sentient life. They survived the extinction level event. The remaining Krazoa grew old and passed; two generations later, the last remaining Krazoa starved and died."

Krystal frowned. "And now, Marcus, you and I are the last of our kind."

"I appreciate your empathy, Krystal." A pause, then Marcus said, "There are incoming ships. I no longer have an established connection to artificial satellites over Sauria, but I _do_ have access to sensors pointed toward the stars."

"Incoming ships?" Fox lifted his left forearm and called Falco.

Krystal said to the computer, "There are no artificial satellites above Sauria anymore."

Falco Lombardi's visual appeared above the gauntlet. "Hey'a Fox. I was just about to call you! Andrew's apes are inbound. A few dropships of soldiers. The group has a capital ship to protect it, plus a full escort squadron compliment protecting the cap-ship. I'm about to launch, but I won't be able to take'em all out _before_ they can reach the planet. Think you can get up here?"

"Not enough time," said Fox. "My Arwing is several miles away. Do your best, but don't worry about the troop transports. Hell, by all means, let at _least_ one ship to land on Miracle."

"What?! Why's that?"

"Because, Falco, I can follow the soldiers to Andrew. Their first order of business will be to link up with him and protect him. Maybe bring him some rations or something."

"Aw, jeeze, fine. I'll blast all the ships I can, but let one or two get through. It's a shame to party alone, though. I mean, it's just me and ROB 64, up here. Anyway, whatever. I got my work cut out for me. I'mma get started. Later." Falco ended the transmission from his end.

"You were right," said Marcus. "After listening to him … he _is_ a '_jock_.'"

Krystal chuckled.

Fox shook his head with a grin.

Krystal asked, "Marcus, how long before the first ship would be able to make landfall?"

"First light tomorrow."

Fox rubbed his chin. "That's about seven hours, right?"

Marcus paused to do a calculation. "Approximately."

"I assume they are coming in slow because the jump ring near Venom has been destroyed, and all Venom ships with FTL drives were destroyed or captured and decommissioned."

"I would know nothing of that, Fox." As an afterthought, Marcus, added, "The best use of your time would be to make camp and prepare for tomorrow. Being well-rested means that your probability of success increases dramatically."

Fox sighed. "Okay. I'll have Slippy keep watch for any ships entering the atmosphere." He turned to Krystal, and said, "You and I, we should rest." His eyes cut back to the computer. "Marcus, where should we go to rest?"

"Continue beyond the door adjacent to this computerized panel. Those are the barracks for the Krazoan science team. The door locks in case of an emergency."

"Can we have some privacy?"

"I will listen only for my name and disregard any other audio."

Krystal smiled. "That would be lovely. Thank you, Marcus."

"Thank _you_, Krystal."


	10. The Most Important Mission

Author's Note: _Sup. I think I've got, like, 17 chapters, give or take. I'm trying to get them up as quick as I can. lol. _

_Anyhow, enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter -10-  
_The Most Important Mission_

_Six hours later_…

**Andrew Oikonny paced**, radio in hand, in an old command center. The windows were gone, and dead mold blackened the ceiling near the windows at the front of the room, but it had long-since died out when the moon lost its atmosphere, years ago.

"Stand by, Sierra Six."

Andrew bent at the waist and examined a small bit of dead mold on the windowsill that held the shape of a hand, including the fingers. He stepped back from the window and examined the shape of a body, made from dead mold on the floor.

Oikonny reached for an audio recorder in his pocket with his free hand. He thumbed the record button. In a soft tone, he whispered, "Uncle Andross, you would have found this interesting – a Krazoa being died and became moldy right here, long ago. What happened to his skeleton? Why have I not seen any skeletons of their kind on this moon? Why have none been found on Sauria, yet?"

Silence.

"Still, fascinating. They decompose like any other race from Lylat. While resilient to radiation, cold, and vacuum, the fact of the matter is simple: mold spores can only survive _so long_ in the cold, in vacuum, and without atmospheric protection that limits the UV exposure and radiation from Lylat's Star. I wonder if _any_ mold survived the long period without an atmosphere? Perhaps only the deepest bunkers? Ones unfound thus far? Everything I have seen suggests nothing survived the period this moon went without an atmosphere. I wonder what Uncle Andross found during his stay, here. Still, the above-ground bunkers should have been filled with enough mold spores, dead or not, to make breathing a toxic and deadly chore. But _most_ things are _pristine_ on this moon. How is that possible? Perhaps the Krazoa left some sort of A. I. computer program to clean in the wake of the destruction? Perhaps ventilation and filtration systems are superior and manage to function after two thousand years? If any mold is found alive, can it be weaponized? More on that later…"

Andrew approached the window again.

He brought his radio back to his lips. "Come back, Sierra Six. How many men were you able to bring?"

"_Three hundred soldiers and two hundred pilots outfitted for soldiering, sir_."

"Five hundred against three, that's _perfect_!" Andrew grinned brightly. "Send one hundred men to Sauria and secure the most populated villages. The other four hundred will come here and spread out to search for Star Fox. How many ships did you bring?"

"_We have troop transport ships. Without knowing the compliment of the new Star Fox Carrier, we could only risk enough fighters to protect the transport ships and the capital ship protecting them_."

Andrew thought about the numbers for a moment. "That's … virtually the remainder of my military!"

"_We left pilots and our best warriors on Venom to protect it from a Cornerian incursion. Our intel suggests that the Cornerian Defense Force may make a move to fully liberate Venom during our attempt on Sauria_."

Andrew clenched the radio firmly in his hand and exhaled through clenched teeth. "You mean _indoctrinate_ Venom. They cannot liberate something that isn't enslaved. Who would lead the charge on Venom if we have Star Fox pinned down?"

"_Our intel said it's a pilot named William Grey. Have you heard of this man_?"

Andrew sighed. "Yes, I've heard of him. All right, well…" He took a deep breath. Something told him to send a few soldiers back to Venom, but he decided not to. "How far out are you?"

"_Roughly an hour. Ninety minutes tops_."

"All right. I'll be waiting. _Hurry_." Andrew put the radio back onto his belt.

X

* * *

X

_Meanwhile_…

**Falco dodged an attack** by rolling his ship hard to port. He opened fire on another enemy, tearing into its rear shields until a few shots struck its engine boosters. It pulled up, but smoke and flecks of burning metal came off its backside.

The glowing metal chunks of fuselage, and bits of sooty booster slag cooled instantly, becoming dark in the cold of space. They pelted off the shields of Falco's fighter, causing the briefest glow, seen only by the falcon's sharp eyes.

Falco smirked and pulled around to hunt for the guy that tried to fire on him from behind a moment prior. He didn't see anyone and assumed that fighter broke away to regroup elsewhere.

His HUD flashed.

"Incoming call, huh?" Falco reached down and touched the capacitive screen, answering it. "Go for Falco."

"Lombardi! Long time!"

"Bill? Jeeze, it's been a _long_-damn-time!"

"Yeah, no kidding! Hey, so, nearly the entire Venom air guard is over Sauria, right now."

"Yeah, no shit. I'm fighting them, mano-y-groupo."

"By yourself?"

"Uh, duh. Who else could handle this many at once?"

"You going to be okay?"

"Haven't taken any damage yet, Bill. So, what's up?"

"Hey, let me ask you a question real fast before business – are you a falcon or an Edward's Pheasant?"

"What? You talkin' about my markings? My mom's dad was an E. P., my mom's mom was half falcon, half turkey. I've got a cousin that's full turkey. Lives on Fichina – we call him the Cold Turkey cause he used to smoke. Dad's side is all falcon, but there's a bit of hawk on my granddad's side. Don't know how much. Half, maybe? Quarter? What, are you calling me as a lifeline for a gameshow right now? Why're you asking?"

"Would I play a gameshow wearing a helmet and visor?"

"Okay, true. So, what's the word?"

"While the Venom Air Guard is distracted over Sauria, I'm taking a group to Venom to finish off the last of their military. You want in on this? We're going to finally break Venom of their dependence on Andrew Oikonny."

"Wow! Seriously? Geez, you guys are opportunists!" Falco crowed in amusement.

"You want in on it?"

"Man, I dunno. Fox is down on the Saurian moon right now."

"Ask him. I could use an Ace-in-the-Hole on my wing. We'd pay you, of course. You're a mercenary. Corneria would foot the bill."

"Let me open a multi-call. One sec." Falco glanced up, then around himself. He looked at his scope, then quickly opened a call to Fox and patched in the third party.

A moment later, Fox's tired face came on the small screen.

Falco gestured in front of the computer, putting the visual up on the cockpit HUD. The main large screen between his knees went back to showing diagnostic and sensor reports for the Arwing II.

Fox cleared his throat. "Falco … wait, _and_ Bill?"

Bill laughed. "Fooox! You're not wearing a shirt, buddy!"

"Yeah, it's humid down here. What's going on, fellas?"

"I want to borrow your wingman!"

"Come again?"

"The _entire_ Venom air guard is being deployed to Sauria and its moon, but they're in troop ships, not fighters. So, Corneria is having me lead an attack on Venom to end their military for good. We're finally going to liberate the people, set up a government for them, and help them farm … all that crap! But all their fighters are still over Venom, even though there aren't very many pilots. So, I need Falco. We'll pay him, and I'll make sure Corneria pays you a fee for letting us have him during the campaign."

Fox rubbed his chin. "One sec." He turned to Krystal and in a softer voice, said, "This could be Corneria's chance to bring Venom to the table as allies, and end this war once and for all."

Krystal's voice was somewhere in the background, behind McCloud. "_Fox, if Venom's defenses are _here_, how will _we_ survive_?"

Fox chuckled to her. "Slippy, ROB64, you, and me. We've got this. They can fight an army, but Venom pilots can't fight guerilla warfare fighters."

Bill added, "And so we're clear, Fox, all those pilots deploying from the dropships will be holding pistols."

Fox laughed and turned back to the camera, facing it directly. "Falco, I want you to go with Bill. Keep him alive. He was one of my closest friends in the academy. Well, you already know that. Just the same, work your magic and keep him alive."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll go."

Fox frowned. "I'm serious, Falco. Go win the war Star Fox started when Pigma and Andross made my father the first official casualty."

Bill grimaced. "Okay, that got real dark … real fast."

Fox shrugged with his paws out to the sides. "I'd do it, but I'm trying to stop the dictator. We'll end this thing with Venom on both fronts at the same time."

Falco sighed. "Look, okay … Bill, we're going to need numbers to handle Venom's automated air defenses while working one over on the remaining pilots, because Oikonny will have his best in cockpits to protect his home."

Bill asked, "Yeah, you have a plan or something?"

"Yeah. Katt Monroe. She's annoying, but she's a good pilot, and her ship is … difficult to destroy. Homebrew make. She's got herself a ship built on first-gen Wolfen technology, meaning it's immune to Nova bombs and charged plasma lock. It'll come in handy."

"You want us to hire a second mercenary?" asked Bill.

Falco sighed in annoyance. "I hate to admit it, but she'll make our jobs easier. I'll make the call."

Bill rubbed his chin, then he nodded firmly. "All right. Do it, Falco. Meet me over Venom."

Fox added, "Falco, I want you to jettison some chaff and one fuel cell, then ignite it with a well-timed boost. You know the maneuver I'm talking about. Afterwards, you high-tail it out like you're damaged and rushing away."

"Fine, but what about our new carrier?"

"Did you see any bombers in Andrew's group?"

Falco pulled up his sensor history, and flicked a feathery finger over the screen, scrolling through all the fighters logged in the area. "Nah, no bombers."

"I'm going to call ROB and have him bring it to the lunar surface. I'll use it as a base of operations for when the soldiers attack in waves. If any bombers show up, I'll have it moved to the big hanger bay we had to blast our way into when we first arrived. By now, Slippy's integrated our systems enough that Rob would be able to open the hanger by remote."

"Yeah, fine. Cool. Stay safe, Foxie."

"Go liberate Venom, Falco."

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't die. I need the paycheck, McCloud."

"Uh-huh. See you soon. Bill, watch his six, brother."

"Stay alive, Fox," said Bill. "Beers are on me when we get back."

Fox ended the call on his end with a wry smile.

Falco chuckled and waved to Bill. "I'll meet up with your attack group. Send me coordinates. I'll need to refuel by the time I get over Venom. I'll have Katt meet us there. See you soon."

"Stay safe, and see you soon, Falco. I'm sending you coordinates now. You can show me that fancy new _Arwing II_ I've heard so much about." Bill ended his transmission with Falco.

Afterward, Bill called Peppy Hare and John Pepper, to set up a payment for Falco and Katt Monroe.

X

* * *

X

_Down on the Miraculin surface_…

**Krystal looked up at Fox, above her,** and broke the lip-lock. She dropped her head back, onto the floor tiles, just like the previous morning, and exhaled softly with a shudder of sensation.

She panted softly in an attempt to catch her breath.

"Left you breathless, huh?"

"Just a bit," she replied in a husky voice. "Do you think it's true?"

"What?"

"What Marcus said…?"

"The computer?"

"Yes, Fox. I can see no reason he would have to lie. But that means everything that has happened between us these last few days … well, it's a product of heightened hormones, nothing else."

Fox cupped either side of her face in his palms. "No, Krystal. It's us. This is real."

"But I'm in heat like some sort of … animal. We tarry about because we are addicted, here. Rogering our way through the days and nights, as many times as ya like, ta, very much then, please, sir, may I have some more? Then we clean up, and go on about our day, perfectly polite as ya like."

"You talk different when you get frustrated, here."

"Yeah, it's been getting worse. I even have my old accent back. You have never done anything unprofessional on a mission, yet here we are again. Seems like every few minutes."

"Krystal, shh. Listen. Okay, so what? So we got a little hormonal-helping-hand in how we're expressing our feelings, but they're _our_ feelings. And even though they're augmented, or whatever the expression is, the fact remains that I've been trying to figure out how to uncork the feelings that I've been bottling for you … for, well, a _long_ time. I've loved you for … it feels like forever, now. That was _before_ we came here. That was _before_ we had sex. Repeatedly."

Krystal smiled at his words, until the last word of his statement. She offered him a lame grin, followed by rolling her eyes. "Oh, jeeze."

"That's my line. Well, it's Falco's line, but we both say it."

"And, yet, it's entirely appropriate, here. _Jeeeeeze_. Yes, repeatedly. Several times a day at this rate. And, Fox, I've enjoyed it thoroughly. I just need to know that, whether or not I become pregnant, and whether or not we take down Andrew on this mission, I want to be a _team_. I'm not talking about Star Fox. I'm talking about _us_. A partnership. I'm talking about two mates working together to have one another's backs."

"Who better to have my back than a telepath?"

Krystal's smile brightened. "That's what I wanted to hear, Fox. Thank you." She lifted her head and brushed her lips against his.

Fox swirled his tongue around her own, dancing and dueling in a playful way. After a moment, he broke the kiss and lifted his head. "I guess we should start prepping before Andrew's reinforcements show up."

"I suppose that would be wise," she agreed.

Fox rolled onto his hip, adjacent to her.

Krystal quickly reached for her nearby gear, rifled through it for a bottle of water, and guzzled it down.

"Dehydrated?" asked Fox.

"Mm-hmm," she said against the mouth of the water bottle. She continued to drink until it was gone. "I just realized I was thirsty, so, yeah." She capped the bottle and sat up, then she quickly rolled onto her side with a grimace.

"I've gotta pee," Fox said, followed by a soft gasp. "Sorry. That was something I'd have said around Falco. I'm…"

"Fox, I'm telepathic. I already knew when you had thoughts like that in the past. It was cute that you tried to be a gentleman around me, but … you can be yourself without worry, now. I've never judged you then, and I _certainly do not_ judge you now."

Fox exhaled in a sigh of relief. "All right, well, uh, I've gotta find somewhere to go pee. And we need to find a stream, or something, so you can wash up." He reached for his computerized gauntlet and switched on the display. "Whoa…"

Krystal perked. "A lot of notifications?"

"Yeah," said Fox with a frown. "A _lot_. Slippy has been texting me because I missed his last holo-call. Uh, well, he says, uh, that … dammit."

"Andrew's forces are already on the ground?"

"Yes, and he's lying low."

Krystal frowned. "Doesn't Slippy have a girl with him? Amanda?"

"She's on Aquas or Zoness or something, waiting for him to show up in person. They're doing some sort of virtual holographic hangout thing. She sent a drone to the planet, with a solid-light emitter built into a small drone. The emitter shows her in the room with him, and vice-versa, but she's not physically here with him … not in person. She's not in any danger."

Krystal smiled softly. "A holographic emitting drone? That sounds posh. I'm glad to hear she's safe."

Fox cleared his throat and rubbed his paw against the nape of his neck. "And, uh … I'm glad you remembered her name – I forgot to be honest." Fox took a moment to finish reading the texts. "Dammit. He had to take the Landmaster and abandon the command center, and he's back on the Great Fox carrier, which he's hidden in a thick jungle area. Seems that he used some of the included machines that came with the carrier to cut down some trees … enough to make cover for the new carrier, so that it can't be seen from above."

"Smart," said Krystal. "And that had to take a lot of work."

"ROB and Slippy can do a _lot_ when they work together."

"Apparently so. How did he cut down so many trees so quickly?"

Fox shrugged. "I assume he used some sort of high-output force weapon to blast down a few rows at a time, then he gathered them up and laid them out on the top of the ship. So much for the brand-new paint job, huh?"

"No worries. That's what Falco is for."

Fox replied with an amused smile. "Funny."

"I know. So, uh, text him back and let him know that we were lying low with the notification sound turned down, so as not to attract attention."

Fox chuckled. "Yeah, that's a good way to word it. One sec." He typed on the screen with his right paw while holding the gauntlet in his left. After a moment, he sent the message and waited in silence.

It didn't take long for Slippy to reply.

Fox read it out loud to Krystal. "He says, '_Thank goodness! I know you were supposed to rest, so I figured you were asleep. I hope you got all the shuteye you needed, because the Miraculin surface is overrun, and apparently now Sauria is overrun, too. We're going to have to rescue Tricky and his people from the hundred-or-so soldiers that Andrew diverted to Sauria_.'"

Krystal pursed her lips together. All thoughts of earlier were put to the side, and she ground her molars together. "I will find Andrew and make him _cry_ for his uncle if he harms Tricky or any of the Lightfoot or Cloudrunner tribes. If his people hurt _any_ of the dinosaurs on that world. I swear."

Fox picked up her clothes and a sweat towel. He handed the pile to her and stood up. He put his paws over his head, leaned back, and stretched until his lower back popped. He sighed softly, dropped his arms, and picked up his own gear. "Okay. Let's get ready and coordinate with Slippy. I need to decide if it would be smarter to head back to the new carrier or if it would be better to coordinate with the computer to determine a way to end this quickly. If Andrew is in the area … that would be a priority."

Krystal nodded in agreement. "Marcus!"

Fox tensed up.

"Sorry, a bit loud, I know."

"He said he wasn't going to listen in, hon."

As if to mock Fox's last statement, Marcus replied from speakers unseen and unknown somewhere in the room. "Krystal, good evening. I hope your slumber was restful. How can I help you?"

Krystal afforded Fox with a smirk, but spoke to Marcus. "Do you know Andrew Oikonny's whereabouts?"

"Not precisely. He's using unknown technology to shield his location. However, based on the troop movements of his soldiers, I can extrapolate enough data to make a mathematical assumption that will be of high probability."

"An educated guess," Fox said with a chuckle while buttoning his pants.

"Yes. Using the available variables to…"

"I got it," said Fox. "Our brains work the same way. We guess a lot."

"Understood. There are no large hunting groups in your immediate area, just a few scouts. Shall I attempt to write a Bluetooth Stack protocol based on Slippy Toad's technology, in order to pair with your gauntlet? It would be a more effective way to transfer input from sensors around the lunar surface to you."

Fox's eyes widened. "You can do that? You can use what you learned when pairing with Slippy's gear to try and pair to my arm computer?"

"I can, yes. Do you have a way to make its Bluetooth discoverable and pairable?"

"Yeah. Let me just jump into the settings panel and … hey, out of curiosity, how do you know it's called Bluetooth?"

"Because it is what Slippy called the technology. Just one of many ways Cornerians have created to communicate between two devices."

Fox cleared his throat. "Okay, get ready…" he manipulated the screen with a fingertip. After another moment, he added, "And … now."

"I see the signal. I also see that it has an internet protocol connection, as Slippy called it. I'll use my new Bluetooth connectivity to set up your gauntlet to make use of the Krazoan intranet network, which is still broadcast across this world and Sauria. Stand by … and … task complete. Hm, fascinating. Your gauntlet's coding is very _easy_ to understand."

"Because it's so antiquated compared to you?"

"No, Fox," said Marcus in a blunt tone. "Because whoever designed this protocol was intelligent. I see it has something called firewalls to keep unwanted persons from hacking it, but they're not effective against me, because I set up your device by first going through the Bluetooth stacks. My study of this technology is…"

"I get it, it's like Krazoa was a zillion years ago, right?"

"Actually, no, Fox. I am impressed. Corneria has come a _long_ way from the simplistic tribal nations and the nation that invented gun powder. My makers were wise to spare your worlds by abandoning their Saurian multi-ark project. It led to their deaths, but it only took two thousand years for your species to step up to nearly the same level of technology as enjoyed by the Krazoa. They saw something in your kind. Something worth preserving."

Fox finished getting dressed and said, "All right, well, I'm glad we've earned your respect."

"As a sentient mind, Fox, I admit that … I have very little practice with social skills. And I haven't had much practice with learning what it feels like to respect someone. But, yes, the two of you went from being a fascination to becoming a respected couple. And, for the record, I curiously find myself to feel … pleased … by your relationship. I hope that is not out of line."

Krystal laughed. She pulled her panties up her legs and lifted her tail to keep it out of the way of the fabric. "That's what Cornerians call 'shipping.' They like to 'ship' couples. They imagine the two people in a relationship because it makes them happy to do so. If the shipping works out, and the two become engaged in a romance, then those who shipped that couple feel vindicated and delighted."

"I see! Fascinating. Your race wants to see couples succeed? That is nothing at all like the report about your race from two thousand years ago. At the time, your race was considered only slightly above barbarism. They were said to be easily consumed by jealousy and the motivations of people rarely exceeded wealth or possession of females."

Fox chuckled. "Some Cornerians still fit that description."

"Oh. I see. What a disappointment. But at least I can see, for myself, that there are Cornerians who are happy to see happiness in others."

Fox opened his mouth, but Krystal stopped him. She whispered into his ear, "Shh. You don't have to explain that you were born on Papetoon. It's not necessary right now."

Fox nodded. Instead, he said, "Where are the nearest enemies, Mark?"

"They are closing on your position but are unaware of the existence of the tunnel system or how to access it. But they are growing close. I am writing an interface for your portable computer to better interface with it. Then, I will have the location of Andrew Oikonny's forces made available to you."

"How long before it's ready?"

"Not long," said Marcus. "Four to six minutes. It depends on how long your computer can process the code I'm writing. However, you may wish to charge your device soon. This application will be very reliable and have pinpoint accuracy. That is the phrasing, yes? Regardless, it will use battery power a bit more rapidly. I estimate that you currently have two more days of power, but with this program I am installing, you will only have ten hours of battery power left."

"I'll charge on the carrier ship. What about my fighter? Is it safe?"

"I see from Mr. Toad's text communication logs that he failed to mention … he used an auto-take-off command to recall the ship so that Venom would not take possession of it. It is on the flight deck of your carrier."

"That's good, but it also sucks. How far is the carrier from our position?"

"Stand by, recomputing for Cornerian miles…" A pause, then, "I do not wish to overwhelm you with a large number. You are a six hour walk away from your ship."

"All right. That will work for me. So, if I travel at about six miles in an hour, the carrier is about thirty-to-thirty-six miles away."

"Yes," said Marcus. "Thirty-three and a third of a mile, exactly." As an afterthought, he added, "The scout patrol is two soldiers. They are less than one mile away and closing. They are traveling at a very slow walk. It would appear they are being methodical in their search."

Fox scoffed. "Let them. We'll get the drop on them. Is there anything else I should be made aware of?"

"Yes. The most direct route to your ship will require the two of you to cross through the _old ruins_. Archaic ruins that the Krazoa were studying to learn more about their ancestors. It will be quite dangerous."

Krystal frowned. "Are you going to be able to lead us through it?"

"That is part of the reason I am rewriting some of the core coding on Fox's portable computer, Krystal. So that I can communicate with you from the speaker built into the unit. I will be with you every step of the way. If, of course, you will have me. But you'll have to take the most direct way if you wish to make it to your ship before the battery on Fox's computer runs down. There will be approximately four hours of additional time."

"We're ready when you are," said Fox.

Marcus grew quiet for about thirty seconds, then he said, "I've finished. One second." His voice changed to Fox's gauntlet. He said, "_This is a test._"

"Sounds good," said Fox.

"Excellent. I can hear you quite well. Better than I could on the audio system built into the Krazoa complex. Fascinating. The architecture of the processor is nothing like my own, but they are surprisingly similar to computers used by the Krazoa in their workstations."

"Slippy will love to learn more about it," said Fox, adding, "Okay, display the enemies on my screen. I'm ready to get started."

"Displaying … now."

Fox looked down at the screen built into his gauntlet. A scope, a map overlay, and approximate information showed up, including the heart rates of each lizard in the area. They appeared calm but vigilant.

Krystal moved closer. "That sounds posh."

"Very," Fox agreed. "Great display, Mark. I can see their approximate cone of vision, which helps me figure out what way they're facing. I can see if they feel calm or alerted. This works great."

"I did a good job?"

Fox chuckled. "Yeah, Mark. You did a _great_ job."

"Thank you. I like hearing that. It's been a long time since I've experienced a compliment. It's part of the reason I went into torpor mode."

Krystal felt her heart melt inside just a bit. "You poor dear. If we stop Andrew's lot, it will be because of _your_ help, Marcus. I believe in you, and I appreciate that you seem to also believe in us."

"We make a good team," said Marcus. "I'm going to stand by for now, so I don't drain Fox's portable computer faster than ten hours."

Fox wanted to say something snarky like, '_Good idea_,' but he caught sight of Krystal shaking her head. Instead, he said, "I appreciate the consideration. See you soon."

"Stay safe," Marcus replied. The computer grew quiet.

Fox and Krystal exchanged glances.

She reached for his paw and gave it a gentle squeeze. "That was lovely, thank you."

"Good looking out."

"For you? Always." She offered him a smile.

Fox lifted his left forearm and glanced at the display on his gauntlet. "Okay. So far so good. The map seems to show that the third door from the generator room leads to a way out."

"What was in the far door, opposite of the power room?"

"Another lavatory. You gotta pee?"

"I … could go if we have a moment."

"Best to do it now before going out on the battlefield. I'll join ya."

Krystal made her way out of the room of bunks, turned in the direction away from the power generator room, and passed the next door. She came to the last door, opened it, and walked into a small hallway with a computer console built into the wall. The next door opened up, leading to a bathroom with stalls and high sitting-style toilets, not terribly different than what Krystal had seen on Corneria.

Fox opened one of the stalls that still had a door and grimaced. He stepped back and shut the stall door, then gestured for her to use one of the ones without a door. "Go on, ladies first."

"What did you see in there, Fox? Oh. …_Oh_." She cringed at the mental image. "Strange how the skeleton comes apart after so long. It's never just a fully attached skeleton like in the cinemas."

Fox shook his head. "Yeah, no. Like, what holds skeletons together in the movies, or in video games, or TV shows?"

"I don't know but … what I saw from you is blurry, as though you closed your eyes right away."

"I didn't close my eyes right away. I saw it."

"Oh, come off it. Wait, you're serious? You did?"

Fox nodded. "Should I describe what I saw? Trust me, I saw it."

"Would you? For me? I'm sorry to ask you to do something so macabre, but it doesn't make sense that I saw something so blurry from you."

Fox shrugged. "Well, uh, all right, I guess. Uh, the pelvis was on the toilet, the thigh bones had fallen in, the shinbones and feet were on the tile floor in front of the toilet. Uh, some of the rib cage was propped up against the back of the toilet, but _some_ of the lower ribs had come away from the spine. The vertebrae that fused together rested against the hips, propped, but a good part of vertebrae bits fell into the toilet or onto the floor. The skull was on the back of the toilet tank. One arm was across its lap, which, again, had fallen into the toilet. The other arm was laying on the floor with finger bones strewn about the ground like someone dropped a bag of small candies everywhere."

Krystal exhaled. "That's … what I saw from you. Sometimes it is difficult to have a clear read from another when I'm cloudy with powerful emotions. I assume it's due to the hormone spike."

"Yeah. Hormones can make it difficult to concentrate on your own thoughts, let alone those of another, I take it."

"Quite so, love."

"I mean, I know my kind get easily distracted when we are horny."

"Horny… I haven't really thought to put it quite so succinct, but it was rather accurate. I have seen the dead, of course, especially working together. Aparoids, soldiers, and I know I haven't seen my last dead body, but I have never seen what they look like when they lay where they die after a very long time. I hate to think that eventually those bodies become … what you just saw."

"Yeah, well, that's not all I saw." Fox held his paw outward, gesturing for her to use the doorless bathroom stall. "If you're not comfortable going, here, then we'll find somewhere else."

Krystal climbed up onto the somewhat tall toilet, feet over either side of the seated section over the bowl. It didn't take long to remove her pants and urinate. She reached for a rear pocket on her work clothes, withdrew a pack of wet-wipes, which she had been using in the humid areas of the moon. She wiped and then she dropped it into the empty toilet bowl. "I wonder…"

"Wonder what?" asked Fox.

"If they used water like on Papetoon toilets, or if they're waterless like on Corneria…?"

"Good question."

"Fox?"

"Yeah?"

"You said you saw more than the remains of the Krazoan in the adjacent stall. He ended his life, didn't he?"

"He or she, yeah." Fox frowned and turned to face her. He reached a paw up, and helped her down from the high toilet.

Krystal offered him a smile of appreciation, pulled up her pants, and adjusted the fastenings of her clothing. "How?"

"Clean single shot to the side of the head. His palm was with the blaster handle. So, that answers that question – they did have energy weapons for self-defense or law enforcement needs."

"Do you…" She licked her lips with a frown, then, in a lower tone of respect, she asked, "Do you suppose that the weapon still works or … holds a charge?"

"Dunno," Fox replied in a soft voice of his own. "Should I grab it?"

"Just … check. They were quite advanced. It's possible that this weapon could come in handy against our enemies. It's just a few of us against several hundred."

Fox sighed in agreement. "Yeah…" He returned to the adjacent stall, opened the door, and approached the blaster weapon on the tile floor. "In a war of attrition, we need everything we can get. But … I would be lying if I said I felt comfortable using a weapon that was cursed with a suicide."

"You feel it's … haunted?"

"Not exactly haunted," said Fox. "I can't quite describe it. Maybe … unlucky? Superstitions have kept soldiers alive on the battlefield for … well, since the beginning of time. It's just unnatural to fight with a weapon that was used in a suicide, unless it was the suicide of your enemies. Even then, it's still a little weird."

"I understand." She approached Fox from behind and peered around him, committing the sight of the dead Krazoan's skeleton to memory. "At a glance, it doesn't appear to be too terribly different than our own."

"Yeah, I guess. The same basic anatomy, sans tail and skull design. Their ears are lower, and their jaw and mandibles are designed differently, but … the _basics_ are the same. I can't tell if it's male or female without knowing how the hips should be designed on other Krazoans."

"Female," said Krystal. "Look at the decorative jewelry. Too bad the clothing has rotted away to dust. Probably blown away, and sucked through slats in the air vents when Miracle lost its atmosphere for a time."

"God knows," Fox replied with a shake of his head. His eyes cut to a finger bone within a ring band. The shank of the ring was nearly large enough to be a bangle or bracelet for a Cornerian. Almost. But not quite. He also noticed a corroded necklace draped over the ribs on the back of the toilet, and what appeared to be bracelets on the body's forearms. Fox frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"We're assuming that their culture was like ours enough-so that women could be recognized by jewelry. But in their culture, men could have…" he trailed off with a frown, shook his head, and lifted his left forearm. "Hey, Mark?"

"I am here," said the computer over the gauntlet speaker.

"Scan the remains of this Krazoan and attempt to identify them."

"As you wish. Stand by."

Silence.

A moment later, Marcus said, "I have identified her by the registration of her personal weapon – a rare possession for any Krazoan. Her name was placed into classified status when she was assigned to this location. She had a very high status as a scientist and the weapon was a privilege of her high rank. I have accessed the database of registered use saved to the weapon. It has been used in _ten_ execution-style deaths, all delivered to the skull at close range, not including her own. This was likely her science team. The Krazoa did not like to suffer. They extrapolated their spirits from their bodies using technology, then their body was destroyed, so that their consciousness would survive, but they would not experience their end."

Fox and Krystal exchanged horrified glances.

"Fox? Was my information helpful?"

"Yes. Krystal thought it might be a woman based on the jewelry."

"Jewelry was how the Krazoa displayed rank and status. Many men wore the same pieces."

Krystal frowned. "So, guessing she was female … that was just a coincidence."

"Correct," said Marcus. I wish I could give you a name, but it was stricken from any database to which I have access, likely because it was marked as classified. What your kind calls 'Artificial Intelligence,' was not trusted yet by the Krazoa. The technology was still too new to give me full access to compartmentalized information. This was to ensure that the information stayed safe."

Fox put his paws on his hips. "Wait … did the Krazoa not trust one another?"

"It was not a matter of trust. It was a matter of the two factions. Those who wanted to utilize the Saurian-Ark program, despite the potential of causing orbital destabilization to neighboring worlds around this system … and, of course, those who were against it."

Fox rubbed his chin and continued to listen.

"The majority of the race decided to use one of Sauria's moons as an ark. They fled to the system Krystal called Kew. I have no way of knowing, for sure, if they made it there, but I assume so. The lunar body had to fracture in order to be pushed into motion. It would have become a generational ark ship. The remaining fraction fell to the planet's surface and wiped out most remaining life. That was an accident, but the pieces were caught in Sauria's gravity despite all efforts to avoid such."

Fox sighed. "Yeah. The dinosaurs, there, call it _Moon Mountain Pass_. I always felt like there wasn't enough material there to make up an entire moon. That explains why."

"Well, I am glad to have helped you. I wish I could be further assistance."

"Wait, maybe you can," said Krystal. "Did she have any religious or posthumous ritual? Burial? Cremation?"

"I am unfamiliar with the term 'cremation,' but the Krazoa did not believe in a metaphysical transition after death. They believed in returning to star dust, to be recycled by the universe. Many had their conscience injected into antimatter material capable of acting as a vessel for the spirit of the deceased. It holds memories, thought patterns, and similar parts of the living brain."

"The Krazoa spirits," said Fox. "I've interacted with them."

"Be warned, they can possess the living. They cannot take control of a body unless the spirit of that body has already been removed. But I do not know if it works the same way for the body of your species."

Fox shrugged. "I've voluntarily used my body as a vessel to transport Krazoa spirits in the past."

"I … see."

Krystal chuckled. "Does that unnerve you?"

Marcus said, "It is an awkward sensation I am feeling. I do not fully understand it. Unnerved … that feels … accurate."

"All right," said Fox. "What happened to _her_ spirit?" He gestured to the stall door.

"Unknown. But I assume she chose to sacrifice immortality as an incorporeal being. Many did not like the concept of having little control over their spirit for an eternity. I _can_ tell you that the body does not function without its spirit consciousness. For her to end her own life would require her spirit to be attached to her body at the time of the act. Therefore, she has expired along with her physical body."

"How sad," said Krystal.

Fox sighed softly. "All right, Mark. I don't wanna run down my gauntlet's battery."

"Understood. Take care, both of you." And just like that, there was silence.

Krystal afforded Fox a slight smile. "He's helpful."

Fox shook his head with a frown. He actively thought the words, '_I don't know why, but I do not yet trust the computer_.'

She nodded in understanding. "Very well."

Fox went back to the stall without a door, climbed up onto the toilet, unzipped his fly, made it quick, and hopped back down with a grunt. "How did your people pee? Toilets like this?"

Krystal shook her head. "Natural position squatting. Toilets were for the elderly, dying, or the disabled. Those who could not squat."

"Oh." Fox came back to the stall with the door, picked up the energy weapon, brushed the palm away from the handle, stole one last glance at the skeleton, and placed his free paw on the small of her back. He guided her away, out of the restroom. "First skeleton I have seen. But there is no mold. There should be mold all over this area. It's weirdly clean."

Krystal sighed softly. "What a horrible way to go, though. Transferring the consciousness out of the bodies of your colleagues, then ending yourself completely, because no one was left to grant you the same honor in death."

Fox shook his head and glanced away. "Yeah. But why not transfer her consciousness out, and leave her body to rot? Or set a bomb on a timer. _Something_, you know?"

"Or ask the A.I. to do the deed," said Krystal.

"Exactly. There's something missing. Something we're not understanding."

Krystal licked her lips and cleared her throat softly. "What if you're not allowed to become spirit form if you've taken lives?"

Fox cringed at the thought. "Then her mercy cost her dearly. If she wasn't…" Fox trailed off for a moment. "Y'know, it occurs to me that she probably didn't want that. Like the computer said, some Krazoans were against it. Else she could have rigged the place to explode, and moved everyone's spirit over to antimatter, together, as a group. Then their bodies would have expired together. Easy loophole, you know?"

"Very true. You're getting to be quite the investigator."

"I'm not even sure why a skeleton is bothering me so much."

"Because, Fox. The hormone levels. Pheromones affect more than our sex drive. They also affect our frame of mine, our ability to empathize, our compassion, our passion, and our general feelings of motivation."

"Fair point," said Fox. "Well, let's take this tunnel out of here. C'mon." He looked at the map on his gauntlet display, led her to the next door over in the hub, and through an exit tunnel. It was long, poorly lit due to a lack of bulbs that were still viable, and despite the high ceiling, it still felt oddly claustrophobic.

Krystal followed her fiancé through the dim tunnel. It was only about fifteen hundred feet long. It concluded at a ladder, which led up to a latched hatch.

Fox unbolted the latches, put his shoulders against the metal hatch, and pushed hard against the ladder rung.

The rung bent, but the hatch finally gave way.

Once he managed to dislodge it from its doorframe, he realized it wasn't very heavy. Roughly about _half_ the weight of a typical Cornerian manhole cover.

He stood up and peered through the foliage and overgrowth around the hatch door.

Krystal perked. She sensed that he could see the lizards. She looked up the ladder at Fox and watched how he handled the situation.

Fox eased the hatch lid off to the side, in some high grass, and slowly climbed up, moving immediately into a crouch.

Krystal hurried up the ladder and peered outside.

The palm trees appeared to be only a few years old, the grass was elbow height, and the bushes and undergrowth was only as bad as one might expect from the front yard of a recently abandoned house.

She followed Fox's trail, where the grass had been forced down a little. She peered up through the swaying grass and saw the lizards up ahead, facing away from Fox.

She watched as Fox moved up close, behind them, holstered his blaster, and lowered a bit more, as if preparing to pounce.

Fox, about a sports-field of length away from her, crept up behind the lizards. He got down low enough that he was out of Krystal's line of sight, then he leapt high into the air, and bounced upon the left lizard's head.

He landed on the nape of the lizard's neck, snapping it with his feet. He picked the lizard up into his arms, and then used their body to absorb the first two blaster shots of the lizard on the right.

Fox took the dead lizard by the belt and shirt collar, lifted him up, and threw his body into the adjacent lizard, bowling down the second one.

Fox put his left foot on the rump of the dead lizard and leveraged his body so that he could use his right foot to stomp on the skull of the remaining lizard.

Krystal could see the reptile's eyes bulge. Seconds later, blood poured from the man's nasal passages, eyes, and ears.

Fox stumbled forward, put his arms out, and dropped into a quick roll to get away from the dead bodies, then he crouched into the grass again and surveyed the area. He checked his gauntlet, then scanned the area once more. He tilted his head, using his ears to listen.

Silence.

Fox stood up, went back to the two dead lizards, and rolled them off one another, so that their bodies were side-by-side. He frisked them and removed food rations and weapons.

Krystal watched him investigate each weapon.

He set the energy weapons down on their users' chests, withdrew his blaster, and destroyed the Venomian weapons with two quick gunshots.

The energy discharge of his weapon super-heated the air, creating a small crack of thunder. He placed his blaster back into his holster, stowed the stolen gear into his various pockets, and came back toward the hatch.

Krystal stood up and approached him. "That was much different than how you fought the Aparoids."

"Yeah. Blasters, like lightning, cause a boom. I had to work in silence until I knew, for sure, that they were alone."

"It was … very personal."

Fox frowned with a nod. "Yeah. It's different than being in a cockpit, that's for sure. But this line of work is dangerous. You can't hesitate when it comes time to kill. A weapon is nice, but relying on one will get you killed. If you ever have to take a life with your own paws, you need to know what you're doing. Especially you."

"Why '_especially_' me?"

"Because, Krystal, you don't have the weight or height advantage against a lizard or the average male in general. You have to know how to beat someone who has six inches and fifty pounds on you. You have to know how to kick out their knees, you have to know how to hit them in the throat, and you have to know how to attack their eyes."

"What about kicking them in the crotch?"

"It works in a pinch, but claws to the eyes is ten times more effective. Doesn't matter if you're fighting a man or a woman, the eyes … works every time. You also need to know how to dislocate a shoulder, shatter an elbow, break a rib or two, and how to break a neck quickly. It takes a _lot_ of strength to break a neck cleanly, unless you can leverage yourself for greater power."

"You mean the way you pounced on the one?"

"Yeah. Then I knocked the other down with the body of the first. I had to stomp on his throat. It's a terrible way to die, and I hope you never have to do it, but you need to know _how_."

"Fox…"

"I'm serious, Krystal. You are the _last_ of your race. You need to know how to survive against all odds, else your race ends with you."

Krystal swallowed. "You … make a good point. But I would rather become the mother of my race, not the harbinger of death."

"If you know how to kill someone that has a height and weight advantage, Krystal, then you will be able to protect a baby. You can't be the mother of your race if someone kills you and your baby. You have to learn how to do this so that your children and grandchildren won't have to."

Krystal bit her lower lip. After a moment to internalize it, she whispered, "I understand."

"I'll teach you the basics. Not how to kill, but how to defend yourself. Killing is something you have to come to terms with on the field of battle. You shot Aparoids just fine. You are _good at it_, but this? What I did? It's different. You'll know if and when you're ready to learn."

"I appreciate your willingness to teach me. I know it will be something you don't want to do, but I can sense that you're willing to do it to keep me alive. Thank you, Fox."

"Thank me when we're both married and celebrating our fiftieth anniversary … maybe while we're watching our grand kids play or … something like that."

Krystal smiled at the way he described the future. "Even after killing people with your bare paws, you are still able to look at your days ahead with such normalcy and…" Her smile brightened. "It's just … such a healthy outlook."

"It's how I compartmentalize things. It keeps me sane."

"I can appreciate that. All right, Fox. Which way?"

Fox glanced at his gauntlet. He pinch-zoomed the screen, then pointed toward trees. "That way. You ready?"

Krystal replied with a firm nod. She withdrew her staff, extended it, and put the rear end on the ground like a walking stick. "I am."

"Let's move."

Krystal fell into step with him. "Why did you destroy their weapons?"

"Because they were designed with trackers and bio-scanners, which takes their pulse through the handles. They are bio-locked so that you or I would not be able to use them. They were useless. So, I destroyed them. It's a shame, too, because they were nice guns. And they had plenty of ammo. Ah well."

Krystal frowned. "That is a shame."

"Yup. Guess so," said Fox with a slight shrug. "Okay, we have a lot of ground to cover, but not a lot of time."

"I do not sense anyone else in the area," she replied.

"Okay good. Uh … question…"

"Yes?"

Fox cleared his throat. "Were you able to sense their minds while they were dying?"

Krystal nodded. "Yes."

Fox cringed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Both were heavily indoctrinated. They died for their cause and had no regrets."

"Yeah, but can you _feel_ their deaths?"

Krystal frowned with a slow nod. "I can."

"God, that's … I'm sorry."

"Come off it, love. They did not suffer very long, thanks to your mercy. There was confusion and moment of fear. Then their oxygen-deprived minds slid away into a peaceful state. They always seem to try and make sense of it by praying for the safety of their loved ones, apologizing for wrongs they've made in their lives, and asking for some sort of forgiveness from an unknown deity. Then? Nothing. Like falling asleep but their life is a volume knob being turned down, until there are no thoughts coming from them."

Fox looked away, ashamed. "I made you experience that twice."

"I experienced it prior to the Aparoid invasion, when dispatching Oikonny's forces. I have learned how to 'tune it out,' so to speak."

"All right. Well … I just didn't know it was so involved."

"Fox, you don't have to apologize." She reached a paw out and gently ran her fingers through his head-fur. "My race has experienced the deaths of our own kind, whether from an injury like a high fall, or from old age. We're familiar with the link we share from the dying. It's a part of life. Your race ritualizes it because all you have is your imagination – you wonder what it's like to feel someone else die, and you fear what you have never experienced. But it does not bother me."

"Are you sure?"

"Again, it's a part of life. I assure you that it does not cause emotional stress. I will not require therapy. I simply have never _caused_ such an event, so I can only _hope_ that I will handle my first personal kill, as a mercenary, with the same grace as you display."

Fox nodded, but deep down, the idea of teaching her how to kill in such a personal and effective way … it bothered him. A lot.

"Fox…"

He held a paw up. "It's just something I have to wrap my head around. Let's keep moving."

"We are. We're walking quickly. We're making good time."

Fox withdrew the Krazoan blaster and looked it over as they walked, together, in silence. After a moment, he whispered, "I wonder how to turn it on. I hope it doesn't require a Krazoan to activate it."

"Marcus would have mentioned it if he knew that _we_ couldn't turn it on."

"Yeah." He nodded in agreement. "You're probably right about that."

Krystal forced a smile.

Fox looked back down at the weapon, turning it over in his paws, and studying its design.

Her smile faded. She didn't know what to say to his silence and the awkward feelings he was experiencing. So, she decided to stay quiet for now.

X

* * *

X

_Somewhere on the surface of Miracle_…

**Amanda's solid-light hologram** manipulated the capacitive touch screen keyboard on the Krazoan workstation. There was a thin transparent film over the glass, so that her hologram could operate it with touch.

Slippy crossed the Star Fox carrier's bridge, to where the Krazoan computer had been installed against the far wall. "How's it coming?"

"I'm extrapolating the code, and transitioning it to Cornerian-compatible code, although I'm a bit annoyed about the notarization requirement for codesigning. It's a slow process, maybe because of the connection speed."

Slippy chuckled. "I once tried to see if I could explain codesigning to Falco, but I quickly learned he couldn't grasp it. At the time, I was nineteen, and I thought I could teach anyone anything if they took more than five minutes to try and learn it."

"What part was he struggling with?"

Slippy shrugged his shoulders. "What part _wasn't_ he struggling with? He couldn't understand checksums, the concept of a cryptographic hash … I don't even think he understands the difference between 32-bit, 64-bit, and 128-bit computing."

"Oh. One of _those_ people … how do you surround yourself with people who can't understand your passion, Slippy?"

"We got together for a common goal, and then we became a family. If you can't stand your brother, you just accept his flaws for what they are."

"That's … that's actually really fair of you." She afforded him a smile, then she went back to typing. "I'm writing a program to finish the code conversions for me … something to do the tedious parts for me."

Slippy pointed to ROB64. "What about asking him to help you?"

"Because he's doing five other things for me, plus monitoring the area for aggressors."

Slippy chuckled with an understanding nod. "Well, you go girl."

Amanda laughed. "Oh, I'm going. You better believe it! This has been a lot of fun! But I would prefer it if you'd let me come to you in person."

"Oh, Amanda, it's entirely too dangerous here, right now."

"I'll protect you," she replied in a rather matter-of-fact tone.

"Well, as much as I appreciate that, let _me_ protect _you_ for right now. That way I don't have to worry about losing the person who understands me better than anybody I've ever met."

"That's really sweet," she said. "Okay, I guess we'll have to meet in person after this. But at least I still get to spend time with you, in a sense."

Slippy nodded emphatically. He moved a bit closer and said, "You're starting to sweat a little around your forehead and below your eyes."

Amanda grinned back at him. "Because I'm wearing VR goggles on my face where I'm at. I've been wearing them for a few hours, now."

"Do you need a break?"

"I'm not going _anywhere_ until we beat this code situation and Venom is defeated. I'm going to be right here, doing it alongside of you."

Slippy smiled. "You're awesome. Okay. I'm going to take a Landmaster out and draw a group of enemies _away_ from the cloaked carrier. If they get too close, they'll pick up the energy signature and figure out where it's at. I'll be back, okay?"

"_Please_ stay safe."

"I will," Slippy promised. "I'm going to ask Fox and Krystal if they need an extraction while I'm at it. I'd guesstimate thirty minutes to an hour. Once you finish your program, feel free to take off your VR headset so you can rest your eyes."

"See you soon, Guy Green." Amanda grinned.

Slippy grinned back.

X

* * *

X

_Meanwhile, New Bolse Defense Station outer perimeter_…

**Peppy Hare approached the shuttle helm** and dropped into the pilot's seat with a grunt and a huff. He stared at a small monitor that flashed, '_incoming message_' in standard Cornerian text, and touched the screen.

A cheetah with a young face but mature eyes appeared on the monitor with John Pepper pacing in the background.

Peppy could tell John was wearing jeans and a business-casual button-up shirt. The top two buttons were unbuttoned beneath the collar, and the old hound's chest-fluff poured out, beneath his collarbone.

The cheetah feigned a weak smile. "Peppy Hare, long time no see. I am calling to inform you that you've been granted clearance to access the Bolse Defense jump gate, and the station commander is aware of your route change."

"Chester, it's been ages. You're looking awfully young for your age."

"Yeah, knock on wood, I don't have any grey in my muzzle yet."

"I'm serious. If you'd said you were Chester's son, I'd have believed you."

The cheetah shook his head. "Nope. Still the same old me. Have a stepdaughter, but she's only twelve. But I'm old enough to remember the original Bolse Defense Station, before that station became Sargasso."

"So … the jump gate, huh? I thought that was expensive," said Peppy. "I mean, I appreciate coming home faster, but those things use up way more resources than the fuel cells in my shuttle."

"It's by the request of General Pepper."

"Chester, look … wait, is that your first name or your last name? I've never bothered to ask."

"Peppy, if you don't know the answer to that by now, _I'm_ certainly not going to tell you. Just come through the Jump Gate and get here, please."

"Is something wrong?"

John Pepper stopped pacing in the background. He approached the cheetah, who moved out of the old hound's way, and he sat down in the chair facing the communication gear, so that he was face-to-face with Peppy. "Acting General Pepper J. Hare, you are requested by your superior, General of the Space Fleet Johnathan Pepper, to report immediately to my office upon landing. That clear enough for you?"

"Well, it must be serious. No one calls me by my full first name."

John shook his head. "That's because, in front of others, it would become confusing. Your first name is the same as my last name. Now, get your cotton-tailed butt back to Corneria. My office needs a 'Pepper' in it, and it's going to be _you_. But first, alter course for Bolse, and hit that jump gate. Got it?"

Peppy chuckled and flipped off the 'autopilot' switch. "Who am I to refuse a direct order like that? Hey, out of curiosity, since this line is encrypted, is there any news on William Grey?"

"He should be approaching Venom shortly. I'm going to go and oversee that – it's my last official action as Fleet General."

"Silly question, but shouldn't your position be … _admiral_?"

John shook his head with a sigh. "You're in an awfully strange mood today, Hare. Just get here, please. And, no … to answer your question, '_admiral_' is a maritime branch rank. The space fleet isn't a navy. It's an airspace military, just as space is air without an atmosphere. Just like the Air Force is led by a General, the Space Force, too, is led by a General. Oh, gee, wait … both were combined decades ago, and are led by _me_." Pepper smirked. "Enough talk. Get here, Peppy. See you shortly."

Hare nodded firmly. "Well, you've just made it possible to surprise my wife. I'm coming home to her and settling down. Taking that desk job … I talked about it with her. No more '_active General Hare_.' I'll take the uniform and the desk."

"I know. I spoke to her."

"Oh." Peppy smirked. "So that's where you got the 'cottontail' line from … you heard it from her."

"Yes, and she knows you're on your way. So, I'll see you when you arrive."

"Well, so much for surprising her."

John smirked. "See you in fifteen minutes."

"Thanks again. See you shortly. Peppy out."

"Bring it home, Hare. Don't waste any time. Pepper out."

Both reached forward and ended the transmission at the same time.

Silence.

Peppy chuckled with a shake of his head. He firmly took the flight yoke and turned his shuttle until the glint of New Bolse and its adjacent jump gate could be seen up ahead.

Peppy punched the throttle.

His communication monitor flashed again, with an incoming hail from Bolse. He touched the screen and saw a smart-dressed military man with rank insignia on his collar.

"Station Commander!" said Peppy. "This is Acting General Peppy Hare on approach…"

"Yes, sir!" the station commander saluted. He was, of all things, a marmoset, wearing an IDC uniform. "I have instructions, per Fleet General of the Interplanetary Defense Coalition, John Pepper, to grant you immediate access to the Bolse jump gate."

"I heard. I appreciate the use, Commander."

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate you helping to end the Aparoid Invasion. I understand you're the first General, acting or otherwise, to lead a charge into battle on the front lines in over three centuries."

Peppy laughed, followed by clearing his throat. "I, uh, wasn't named with any sort of title until _after_ I got back. It was supposed to be a suicide mission, where we saved Lylat and became statues or maybe some nice plaques."

The Commander smirked. "Instead, you survived, took over for John Pepper, restored the infrastructure in a single month, and you got several schools named after you. I hope to meet you in person one day, sir, so I can shake your paw."

Peppy felt humbled. "_Several_ schools? Already? Well, all right. Count on it, Commander. I'm on my way."

"It's an honor, sir. Commander Reginald Harris – out."

Peppy rubbed his chin with his left paw. "Reginald Harris … Reggie Harris. Commander Harris." Peppy repeated the name, committing it to memory.

His shuttle approached Bolse. The cube-shaped flying fortress was just as shiny and pristine looking as its predecessor was the day that Star Fox attacked it all those years ago, during the Lylat War.

Peppy chuckled at the shimmering white exterior, pleased to see the new station was in such immaculate condition. He steered his craft toward the jump gate, which spooled up, creating a wavering field at the center of the enormous round lens.

The field looked almost like liquid at the heart of space.

Peppy lined up his shuttle with the entrance of the gate, cut throttle, and opened a channel. "Bolse Defense, this is Acting General Peppy Hare. I'm ready to go to Corneria."

An audio-only channel came over the helm speakers. "_Aye, sir. Have a safe flight, General. Bolse Defense – out_."

Peppy pushed forward on the throttle bar. His shuttle picked up speed, hit the fluid-like field, and disappeared into it.

And then…

The front of the shuttle emerged from a glowing field over Corneria. The blue and white planet's oceans and clouds had a majestic saturated coloration that, to Peppy, felt unmatched by the other planets in Lylat.

He opened a channel, and announced, "This is Acting General Peppy Hare, waiting for instruction."

Another audio-only channel opened. "_Acting General Hare! Colonel Chester, here. I'm going to guide your shuttle in on autopilot, sir, and I'll see you when you arrive_."

"Is John still near by?"

"_He is. Stand by_."

A few seconds later, Pepper's face appeared on Peppy's comm screen. "You called? I have a mission to run – the Interplanetary Defense Coalition's move against Venom."

Peppy cleared his throat. "Sir, you made me an acting two star General when you were injured by the Aparoids. I worked my way up to a three-star acting General. I agreed to your desk job offer, and you said you wanted to train your replacement. Is that what this is about? You want me in the Command Center with you?"

"Actually, no, Peppy. This is _my_ legacy. Yours was defeating the Aparoids, and yours will be defending Lylat and all IDC planets from future threats. But mine is to liberate Venom and make it a neutral-aligned planet. Yours will be to bring Venom, officially, into our coalition."

"So … you asked me to hurry back to Corneria, but you _don't_ want me to join you in the Command Center?"

"No, you have other important tasks, which will be assigned to you upon arrival. Although, yes, you will be my replacement. The Prime Minister officially made my fifth star, which I haven't worn since the Lylat War, a permanent part of my uniform. And you? You will be officially promoted to a permanent fourth star. And, if William Grey survives, he'll likely be promoted to full-bird Colonel by the end of this mission. Then I'll want him fast-tracked to having his first star within three to five years."

Peppy nodded firmly. "All right. I'm on my way. The autopilot just kicked on, and my landing sequence is showing an approach vector. So, I guess I'll receive orders of where to report when I arrive?"

"Peppy, no orders right now. You'll be debriefed at a later time. You're being given special permission to land your shuttle directly at your wife's residence. She'll tell you everything you need to know. Now, I have a job to do … something I've been wanting to do since the Lylat War, ten years ago. Pepper – out!"

The screen went dark.

Peppy reached up and scratched his head between his two large ear stalks. "Well, uh…"

The shuttle's windshield began to glow a soft orange. A warning showed on the glass, reading, '_polarization effect in process_.' The flame coloration darkened.

Peppy reached for the harness seatbelt, pulled it down from above his head, and clicked it into place between his legs. He sighed softly, causing a soft whistle between his large lapin teeth. "I'm being sent straight home…? I mean … in a _shuttle_? That's not right. John would never allow such a breach of protocol. He's the kind of guy that parks in the employee parking lot and walks a half-mile to the command center HQ building, just like everyone else. Why the special treatment?"

The windshield continued to glow bright, becoming a deep crimson coloration.

"I swear, if this is some sort of stupid four-star promotion _party_ … in the middle of a battle … I'm going to be pissed." Peppy trailed off, sighed, shook his head, and leaned back in the pilot seat. "No, no, that's something the boys would do. John would never violate protocol like that; armed shuttles aren't even allowed in the sky over residential sectors."

The shuttle sank into the deep blue skies of Corneria's upper stratosphere.

Peppy noticed a blinking light on his shuttle's diagnostic screen. It read, "_Weapon systems offline – remote lockout active_."

Peppy rubbed his chin. "Oh. Learn something new every day. Never taken a military shuttle in atmosphere before – always landed them on an orbiting station or on the Great Fox, and taken a civilian transport service to the surface…"

Silence.

Peppy sighed. "Get it together, Hare. You're talking to yourself like an old fool. If you keep this up people are liable to think you're going senile."

The shuttle shook from a temperature pocket, but the turbulence ended quickly. The shuttle made a beeline for a small township on the outskirts of the Capital City. The town buildings were tiny silver specks surrounded by lush green.

A warning displayed on the windshield. "_Final approach_…"

A beautiful old house, older than Peppy, came into view. He recognized it as the one that Vivian inherited. The historic old home looked picturesque as he approached it.

The shuttle came about, keeping its nosecone facing the house. It hovered for a moment, while the engines shifted from all-range-mode to landing mode.

Slowly, the shuttle lowered to a paved street in front of the property. There were no other houses in the immediate area, at least not for another mile in every direction.

A van was in the driveway adjacent to Vivian's compact SUV.

The van's doors had signage that read, '_Medi-Co. Hospice, Elderly Assistance, And In-Home Assistance_' along with contact information and the name of the sector from where they operated.

Peppy swallowed down a lump in his throat. He leered at the van and whispered, "What the hell…?"

He hurried through the post-trip inspection checklist, making sure the shuttle was properly settled and safe. He ran a diagnostics check, put the computer into low-power mode, and hurried to the exit ramp.

"C'mon," he quipped, while waiting for the ramp to lower to the ground. Rubberized metal tiles, installed on the ramp, shifted so that they snapped into position, to become a staircase.

He raced down the steps, across the front yard, and up to the front door. He reached for his wallet, withdrew it from his pocket, and held the billfold firmly against the door, above the handle. It clicked, and the door opened with ease.

Peppy shut the door behind himself, pocketed his wallet, and sniffed at the air. "Vivian?" he called.

"In here!" came a voice that didn't belong to his wife.

Peppy followed the voice, through the foyer, into a hallway. He passed the stairs, continued past the living room, and stopped in front of the door to a guest room on the first floor at the end of the hallway.

The door was partially ajar. Peppy took a deep breath, swallowed back all his inner fears, put on a brave face, and pushed the door open. "I _would_ say, 'surprise!' but John told me you know about me coming home in my work shuttle."

Vivian was laid out on a hospital-style bed with an IV in one arm, and a special bag for bathroom waste coming out from a tube that led beneath the sheets. She looked thin, frail, and her fur was baggy in places. But, upon seeing Peppy, she put on a brave face of her own, and lit up the room with her smile. "Love!"

Peppy hurried over to her. He saw some lady nurse out of the corner of his eye, but he couldn't even tell what species they were. Instead, he went straight to his wife's side and dropped into a chair adjacent to her bed. "Had I known you were going to come down with lovesickness, I never would have left your side."

"I know, right?" she replied with a weak chuckle. "Just look at me – this is all your fault. Five minutes without you and I got bags under my eyes. A few weeks and…" She gestured to herself with her paws. "All this. You dreadful man," she said with a joking tone and a playful grin.

Peppy appreciated her strength of character, but he could plainly see the truth with his own eyes – she was dying from something aggressive.

Vivian gestured to the nurse, a lynx, and said, "This is Mrs. Patricia Wellington-Smith. She's been more than a nurse – she's been my best friend for the past year."

Peppy blinked. He looked from Patricia to Vivian, back to Patricia, and then back to Vivian. "Wait, you mentioned your friend 'Patty,' a few times but … you've been on hospice this long?"

"I've been on home care this long," said Vivian. "I didn't want to worry you. On my good days, I met you at the mall, or wherever, and things were wonderful. But most days were just like this one. But Patty was just a care aid. Now? Well, now she's my hospice nurse."

"How long have you been suffering like this? I knew you said you were sick but … I didn't know it was like _this_."

"You had a galaxy to save. I had a husband to motivate. We both had our crosses to bare, and, Peppy, yours is going to be much larger than mine once I'm gone."

"Vivian, we were supposed to spend the rest of our days together."

"Peppy, I am going to be doing just that, love. I'm giving you the rest of my days."

He exhaled with a slow nod. "I'll take whatever you can give me, Viv. I just wish it was longer than '_till death do we part_,' you know?"

"Peppy … I know." He opened her arms to him. "God, I've missed you so…"

Peppy scooted the chair close and leaned over her, meeting her embrace. "In the next life, let's make a promise that we'll stay together the entire time."

"Agreed," she said with a firm nod. "Unless, of course, it becomes _my_ turn to save Lylat. But, you know, _definitely_ the time after that."

Peppy laughed, and then, without warning, his laughter turned to tears.

The lynx, Patty, quickly left the room, unable to watch a man cry.

Peppy sat up a bit, gazing down at his wife's frail face. "We talk in holo-calls all the time. You never looked like this. What changed?"

Vivian laughed softly, but even that belayed the core tiredness in her voice. "Peppy … I used a silly little app that cost one credit, which can make your face fat, young, old, skinny…" She reached a paw up and patted his face. "I added just enough 'fat face' effect to make it look as though I was filled out properly."

Peppy gasped with his maw agape. "You did _what_?"

She patted his cheek with a hoarse chuckle. "Oh, stop. You're impressed I fooled you, and it only cost a single credit."

Peppy laughed weakly. He was still too much in shock to be amused or impressed, but he knew she didn't need the guilt. He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I was really fooled by a facial filter? Clever."

"I try," she replied with a weak grin. "I have good times of the day, y'know, where I can get up and walk around … not terribly far, but I can go up to our bedroom and look at the pictures, and the bed where we made our family, and … you know. Just live the life we made. But, for the most part, I am down here more often than not."

"I had no idea."

"I know. And it's okay."

"Why keep it from me, Vivian?"

"Peppy, you had a system to save. My job, as your wife, was to keep you focused, not distracted. Behind every great man is the woman who got him there; that's the saying, isn't it?"

Peppy wiped the tears from his face with the backside of his left paw. "That's the saying."

"Mm-hmm." She offered a soft, frail smile. "God I've missed touching your face. I know it hasn't been _that_ long, but this last part of the sickness has come on strong … very quick and aggressive, you know, this stage and all…" She took a deep breath, exhaled through her nose, and in a softer voice, said, "It just feels like it's been too long. And, as you can see, a _lot_ has changed since last I saw you. Like I said, this sickness has come on very fast and very strong."

Peppy looked at the small bed and frowned. "Want me to carry you upstairs, and we can lay in our bed and watch TV together like old times?"

"You mean where I got to use your chest as a pillow, with your arm around me?"

"Exactly."

She reached down and unclasped the IV line to the backside of her paw. She cinched it off, twisted the clamp knob, and turned off the machine. She sat up a bit more and grinned at him.

"What about that waste tube?"

"Connected to an auto-cleaning bed pan. I can walk; you don't have to pick up my old butt."

"Nonsense," he replied, and slid his paws beneath her knees and neck. He lifted her smoothly.

Vivian hooked an arm around his head, while resting her face against his chest.

"See?" he said with a soft smile.

"I'm impressed, Peppy. You were in such good shape in your youth, and I ruined that with my cooking. Or at least I thought I did. But look at you."

Peppy carried her back down the hallway, up the stairs, and to their old bedroom. He stopped in front of the door. "Would you mind?"

She reached for the knob, turned it, and grinned up at him.

Peppy turned to the side, and eased through the frame, then he carried her over to the bed, laid her down, reached for the remote on the nightstand on his side of the bed, and switched it on. "What would you like to marathon?" He offered the remote to her.

"I think I know just the thing," she replied with a soft chuckle. "God I've missed this."

"I've missed _you_," he replied, then he kicked off his shoes, his coat, his pants, and he rolled onto the mattress at her side. He adjusted his boxers, then pulled his wife close.

She laid her head down on his chest and sighed softly. "This is nice."

"Don't I know it." He put his arm around her and waited while she used the remote to pull up a show. She stopped and turned to face him. "Wait, what about all those naughty promises you made to me while you were on that moon above Sauria?"

Peppy grinned a bit. "Are you sure you can manage?"

Vivian cupped either side of his face. "If you're gentle."

"I'll be gentle," he whispered and touched his nose to hers.

They shared a kiss.


	11. Rise of the Anglar Empire

A/N: _11 is a short chapter, but it introduces the antagonists of Star Fox Command, since this story is leading up to that game's storyline. Enjoy! _

* * *

Chapter -11-  
_Rise of the Anglar Empire_…

_Meanwhile, on Venom_…

**Zako, a tan Hammerhead Shark from Aquas, **Zazan, a grey and green Anglar fish from the acid seas of Venom, Zoldge, a pink and white Jelly-squid hybrid from Zoness, and Octoman, a magenta Octorock octopus from Aquas, fanned out around the Anglar Emperor.

The under-sea hall was massive and gorgeous. The fluted pillars and marble-tiled floor was wet due to being recently drained. A random small fish flopped about on the floor tiles, nearby.

"My name is Angura Kotei," he said, pronouncing his first name with a long 'a' at the end of the word. "You _bugs_ may call me Emperor. And, you, Zazan, have the honor to work with these mercenaries to ensure they know how to work together. If they cannot, give them posts apart from one another. Now, I know many of you have questions. Allow me to address some of them up front…"

No one spoke over the Emperor.

Angura continued. "Due to the lack of a proper leader for Venom, and as Andross' first foray into bioweapon creation, you should know that I am a genetically altered fish capable of surviving in the corrosive seas of Venom's oceans. I was given intelligence by my creator, and I was given an imprint from his DNA, and a partial imprint from his brain, along with his passions and desires for conquest. Any questions so far?"

Octoman nodded. "Andross evolved the lizard race indigenous to Venom, and brought Simians here. What of them? I see they are not included in your…"

Angura held a webbed hand aloft. "No. They lost the war because they are inferior. Venom's native race was the Krazoa. It was the first of two worlds inhabited by them, and they are the creators of the ruins inhabited by the lizards. But they died out. First, here, then on Sauria. A distant cousin of the Krazoa race now lives on a distant world called Kew. I know this because Andross imparted his research upon me. Andross attempted to use the lizards that were evolved to be smarter than their cousins, the Saurian Sharpclaw, and, yet, they still could not win the war for the creator. They did not have the motivation to fight Corneria. I do. My people most certainly do. And Andross knew this. But he lost the war before he could implement us as his soldiers."

Octoman blinked. "I … had no idea."

"The _bugs_ of Lylat do not know its history. Andross researched everything. He learned of its past. He used it in his favor, but he lacked a proper army. Until now. And its intended General will lead as the new Emperor. Do any of you have any concerns so far?"

Zako, the Hammerhead Shark, crossed his large arms over his chest, and said, "You have lizards and apes just above the surface of your oceans. What's to keep them from siding with Cornerians? You're excluding them; they may take offense to your slight."

"I have already considered your concern and addressed it, Zako of Aquas. To ensure the current land-dwelling inhabitants of Venom do not side with Corneria, I will soon employ Andrew Oikonny to work for my empire. He's a feeble-minded man … no intellect and all motivation. He craves validation, and simple compliments are all that is required to buy his loyalty."

The three mercenaries exchanged glances with one another.

Zazan, the emperor's loyal Field General, narrowed his glowing green gaze, and said, "You fools are unsure of the Emperor's might?"

Octoman grimaced. "Katina, Eledard, Papetoon, most of Aquas, most of Zoness, part of Titania, half of Macbeth, Fichina, Fortuna … these planets will fight alongside of Corneria. Venom is just _one_ world. And only the aquatic race has the desire to advance on Corneria. The numbers are not in the Anglar Empire's favor."

Angura nodded in agreement. "You speak honestly. I like that. But I fight with bioweapons. I have weaponized a Monarch Dodora. I have two Bee Fighters, the Puffer, the Anglar Starfish … and we are building bases across Lylat, albeit quietly."

"Bases where?" asked Octoman.

"In all the major letter sectors, and quite a few planets that Corneria calls an ally. I'm also building a base in the Meteo Asteroid Belt that protects Corneria from most threats. And, finally, I'm building bases on protected worlds like Solar. In fact, I am even building a secret base that is on Corneria, right under their noses."

"Seriously?" Octoman shifted his weight and folded his tentacled arms over his chest. "Right under their noses, hmm?"

"Yes." The emperor cut his gaze to Zoldge. "How do you like fire?"

"I love it," said the Jelly-Squid hybrid. "I simply adore fire, your excellency."

"I have plans to build a satellite weapon on Solar. I am told you are more than a mercenary – you are an engineer of sorts."

"I am. You want to pay me to build your weapon?"

"I do."

Zoldge nodded firmly. "Then I will take what you have thus far and make the perfect weapon to weaponize Solar."

"Excellent. The rest of you – I will happily work with your strengths to make you effective in the upcoming war against Lylat. The plan is simple – overwhelm Corneria, and then we turn their mighty military into a resistance militia. Then, we will hunt down their resistance and destroy them. Those who do not resist will be forced to become civilians or die."

Octoman tapped his tentacle tips together. "What is your timetable for the overwhelming of Corneria?"

The Emperor turned to Zazan. "Do you care to give them the figures?"

The mighty stature of the large fish spoke from his barrel chest. "Less than six months. We have funded the simian, Andrew Oikonny, with enough money to launch an invasion force, which will keep groups, like Star Fox, busy and focused. Corneria is throwing money into their mercenaries and into the defense of their little blue world. They are bleeding money and resources against Andrew Oikonny's operation. They won't even notice the base we're building right beneath their noses, until, of course, it is too late."

Zazan smiled inwardly.

The Emperor said, "You see, bugs? The Anglar Empire will install a base right on Corneria to show our superiority. It will have a psychological impact against the Cornerian dogs' morale."

"I should be the one to lead that fight," said Zazan.

"If you wish it," replied the Emperor. "Very well, Corneria will be yours, Zazan."

"Thank you, your excellency."

Octoman unfolded, and then refolded his fleshy arms. "You're seriously going to build right under everyone's noses?"

The emperor nodded firmly. "The plans are already in progress. The land has been purchased and the base is under construction. It will be armed and ready to defend itself by the time Corneria even knows it has enemies on their doorstep." He turned to face Zazan. "Take your leave, old friend. Show those bugs the error of their hubris."

Zazan brought a webbed fist to his chest, nodded at the emperor, and said, "I take my leave, now, your excellency."

Silence.

Zazan walked out of the large beautiful room, splashing through the shallow puddles in his wake.

Octoman glanced at Zoldge, then he looked back at the emperor. "What about ships?"

"You deserve only the best. Ships capable of squashing the bugs of Lylat, until they have no choice but to submit to Anglar rule. Please, with me." The emperor gestured to two grand doors at the far end of the grand hall. "We are building a _fleet_ in the heart of this submerged base, and I am delighted to share, with you all, the instruments of Corneria's demise."


	12. Fighting Instincts

Chapter -12-  
_Fighting Instincts_

_Miracle_…

**Fox sighed through clenched teeth**. "You know, Peppy has always told me to trust my instincts, but right now, it's pretty hard to fight those urges. I've never been in the mood to fool around _while_ pinned down by blaster fire. At least, you know, not before today."

Krystal pointed her blaster over a broken wall, opening fire to the east, and, with her right paw, she pointed her staff through a window frame, and unleashed the fire blaster setting to the south. The staff was propped in the corner of the sill for support in aiming.

Fox added, "I bet Krazoan crimes dropped through the floor. No one wanted to do anything but spend time with their lover."

Krystal fired her staff's fire blast attack three more times through the window on the assault team across the way. "I certainly hope it did not lead to any sexual assault crimes."

The ancient home-like dwelling withstood the incoming blaster volley from the enemy squad.

Fox, with his back in the northwest of the small building's remains, fired his blaster out the north window, then pivoted and fired twice out the west opening, where the destroyed wall once went to another portion of the dwelling many centuries ago. "Oh, man, I hadn't thought of it that way. I hope the Krazoa were more civilized than modern Lylat species." He glanced back at her and eyed her figure. "Damn, though. The longer we're here, the more that pheromone is messing with my head."

Krystal scoffed at him. "You want to lay atop me now? It's _your_ tail that will be blown off."

"I mean…" Fox cleared his throat with an awkward sort of chuckle. "You could always be on top."

"Fox McCloud! Why, you mangey scoundrel!" She froze, sensing a strange flood of emotions from Fox. Her heart dropped. "Oh. Sorry. That's what … _she_ used to call you, is it?"

"Uh, well, yeah. As a joke." He opened fire again, to both the north and the west. "I'm happy with you, Krystal. Don't think I'm missing Fara like that. It's just … her death is a reminder that this job is _really_ dangerous, and a relationship, at least in _this_ line of work, is … I mean, it's not conducive to…" Fox sighed. "I mean…"

"Yes?" She opened fire from her blaster and staff again. "I'm listening."

"It's hard enough to think with a freaking erection, and I definitely can't think when I'm trying to survive a gunfight. All I can do is fight back and _pray_ my girl isn't killed in action like Fara."

"Fox, let me show you something." Krystal turned away from the southeastern corner of the old dwelling. She _sauntered_ toward her mate. She took a step to the left. A blaster round whizzed by her. She continued to walk toward him, paused, ducked just as a blaster round flew over her ears and struck the inner wall, nearby, then she continued across the roofless room. "I am a telepath. When I focus on fighting, I know if I'm in the crosshairs of the enemy, so I am _virtually_ untouchable. Even on the Aparoid homeworld, where I could only sense the feelings of the queen, and her drones milled about gormlessly, firing without thinking, I still held my weight. I did so without injury."

Fox chuckled nervously. "Krystal, you … uh … you just avoided taking an energy round to the head two times in a row. Get your tail over here and take cover."

Krystal scoffed, took a step to the side, just as a hot energy round raced by her cheek close enough to singe fur. She pushed her staff tip against Fox, shoved him against the wall, flush, just as an energy round passed through the north window and out the west window, diagonally through the building.

Each window, even with his shoulders, was lined up at a forty-five-degree angle. The heat of the energy round could be felt by both.

"You see?" she said with an alluring smile. "You _need_ me at your side, _and_ you need me on your six. And what a _nice_ six you have, you daft dishy man. You _literally_ cannot live without me."

"I, uh … I mean, I've done pretty well so far."

"I agree. You have been a jammy boy. But if you want to be the most effective, you need a telepath on your team. I'm happy to prove it."

"I'm not going to lie, that, uh, pushing me out of the way … was pretty impressive."

Krystal grinned. She leaned in, kissed him, then released him from the wall with a twirl of her staff. "How are you on ammo?"

Fox glanced down at his blaster. "The battery is low. You?"

"I just put a fresh one in. I'm good for a while."

He cleared his throat. "How about your staff?"

She smiled. "Beltino's new battery pack allows it to last for hours of use at a time. It's at about eight-five percent." She twirled it again and handed the staff to him, end-first. "Here, you use it."

Fox holstered his blaster, took the staff, and twirled it with power, causing a low-whooshing sound. He passed it from his right paw to his left, twirling it skillfully. "Haven't played with this in a while."

"Mm, so, you were a majorette in the academy marching band or something?"

Fox scoffed. "What?! No way."

"Well, you twirl my staff like a majorette. I was going to say I'm impressed with the muscle memory. I just wanted to know if you were going to toss it, twirl, pirouette, and catch to the beat of the enemy gunfire."

"Ha. Freaking. _Ha_." Fox pointed it out the window, glanced down the length of the staff, and opened fire.

An enemy blaster round went straight up into the air somewhere in the distance, where the staff's fire round struck.

"I couldn't even see that enemy," said Krystal, genuinely impressed. "Nice shooting. How'd you know where he was?"

"Based on where his rounds were coming from. I just couldn't get an angle on him while trying to pin down snipers from the other direction."

Krystal reached out, grasped the staff, and pulled on it, forcing him to take two steps closer to her. A round passed into the wall where Fox had been standing, a second prior. "Speaking of snipers. There are three left, and four infantrymen. Told you … without me, you'd lose your bonce, love. What's your plan?"

"Bonce? That the Cerinian word for head?"

"Yes, a bonce is that thick skull you call your head, Fox."

Fox smirked. "Are you ready to be dazzled?"

"Dazzle me," she said.

"Stay right here." He reached into his pocket, withdrew his communicator, and handed it to her. "Kindly video this for me?"

She looked insulted, but took the camera phone, and activated the video mode. "Fine, fine." Her expression melted into one of slight amusement. "Okay, I get it, you're not trying to protect me – you're trying to peacock for me."

"Exactly!" Fox vaulted through the southern window with the staff, dropped into a roll just as an energy round passed by, and made a hard sprint to the south.

Krystal videoed his 'heroics.' She softly said, "This would be more fun if he'd leapt from the window, full-bloody-starkers."

Silence.

She pinch-zoomed in on the screen, zooming up on Fox, down on the ground, below. "He'd better _never_ get it in that thick head of his that I need a man to save me."

Fox, down below, dropped down, swept the leg out from beneath a soldier, and brought the staff outward, catching the bottom of the lizard's jawline as he fell to the ground.

Krystal continued in a soft voice. "It's sweet, when _my_ man is clever for me, but I certainly don't _need_ to be saved. Ever. I was fooled _once_. Once, Fox. That won't happen again. Just so we're clear." Again, she pinch-zoomed in a bit more on the camera application.

Fox, down by the tree line, activated the freeze blast, brought down one of the trees with a strong smack of the staff, and then dashed up a hill. He pointed the staff downward, froze the grass, and went sliding down the other side of the hill, barreling over two enemies. He rolled, stood up, kicked backward to strike one soldier, then he used the staff to uppercut the other soldier, launching the man backward.

"Good goddess, he's playing _Action Man_ down there. Fine, fine, play amongst the Venom rankers, then."

Fox spun around, opened fire three times, and hit the enemy, over by the frosty downed tree, with two of the three fire blasts. One of the globs of fire that missed its mark continued across the battlefield. It struck a small generator. The liquid fuel, inside the generator, ignited and exploded. It sent someone over by the generator flying backward. They lost hold of their sniper rifle.

Krystal laughed. "Okay, he's having fun at my expense. I like this. But I'm not one to be counted out!" She brought the phone to her chest, where her flight suit secured it to the fabric mesh with a loud click.

"Let's see if I can stick the landing without abseiling the wall, then, yeah?" She climbed over the half wall of the second floor. With a grunt, she landed on the dusty ground in front of the skeleton home.

She stood up in the dusty cloud, tensed up, and dashed across the overgrown field. She gracefully employed some of her gymnastics training, first a forward flip, then two quick pirouettes to build up momentum, followed by a roundhouse to the first enemy she approached.

The simian went flying backwards.

Krystal pointed her blaster at him and shot him down in an instant, before he could hit the ground. She was sexually charged, high strung on adrenaline, and copulation was a seemingly deviant demon gnawing at the back of her mind. It was almost painful.

She saw how the ape landed on his rump in a sitting position. She ran at him, put a foot on his left shoulder, and flipped off of it, so that she landed on the back of another soldier, trying to aim a sniper rifle at Fox, across the field.

Krystal locked her blaster beneath the ape's throat, her legs around his lower ribcage, and she pulled back with all her might, choking him.

The soldier dropped his rifle and reached for her forearms.

Krystal dug her heel into his sternum, overpowering him. She felt him began to struggle with consciousness beneath her. He dropped back, landing on the ground, atop of her, in an attempt to knock her free, but she held on tight until his eyes rolled up into his head.

Once he went still, she pushed him off, set her blaster to a low level, and fired on him. He relaxed completely. "Manky monkey," she whispered, while rubbing her ribs, where she was nearly crushed by her foe.

"You good?!" Fox called from across the field.

She stood up and dusted herself off. "Five out of seven sorted!" she shouted back.

Fox, across the way, smirked and looked up from number six out of seven – a Venomian lizard wearing assault armor.

The lizard reached up and grasped at Fox's forearm, which was around his throat. He put his feet up against a nearby tree to try and break out of the choke hold but was using up his precious oxygen quickly.

Fox glanced over at Krystal's staff, nearby, but he couldn't reach it. He knew he'd have to dispatch his enemy the old fashion way. He jerked back, pulling the lizard away from the tree, so that the soldier's boots thumped on the ground. The pilot held on tightly for dear life until, finally, the soldier's body relaxed.

Silence.

Fox took a deep breath, said a small prayer, guided the soldier onto his side, while still holding tightly to his throat, and, with a grimace of dissatisfaction, he put his knee on the man's hip, and leveraged the soldier's throat, snapping his neck.

Fox frowned and muttered under his breath. "Dammit, I _really_ hate doing that."

"What was that?" asked a reptilian woman in a husky voice. "You hate _what_?" She pressed a gun barrel against Fox's skull behind his right ear.

"I hate killing people that I've knocked unconscious. It's battle, one-on-one, until one of us dies, but if you eject, you should be allowed to go home and fight another day. But this? Right here? This isn't space. This isn't a dogfight, and the arena rules of engagement are different. Letting him live means I would die in my sleep the next time I make camp."

"Yes, Cornerian, those are the rules of engagement. And you gave him a death in combat instead of the shame of defeat."

Fox released the man's body, put his paws outward, and stood up slowly. "Turn around, or…?"

"If you wish."

Fox turned to face the blaster barrel, able to see about two inches into it from the angle of the sunlight. He took a deep breath, and said, "All right, well, how are we doing this? Am I a POW or am I a notch on your blaster buttstock?"

"Our orders were to kill on sight. I just wanted to know what you muttered when you killed Mar-Keil. Thank you for telling me."

Fox nodded, locked eyes with the female lizard, and waited. "Well, you got me. What're you waiting for?"

The female lizard pressed in on her trigger, charging her shot. "You won't suffer. A fully charged shot means an instant death. You earned that honor."

Krystal dropped down from above, staff aloft. She brought the staff down, performing the quake attack directly upon the skull of the lizard. The staff stuck its mark and shattered every bone in her body, including the skull, in a split second.

It was an instantaneous death.

The lizard's body dropped to the ground.

The blaster fired harmlessly into a tree behind Fox, leaving a large charred hole clean through the tree trunk. .

Krystal bent at the waist, paws on her knees, with the staff across her legs. She stayed doubled-over for a moment, adjacent to the decimated soldier, panting softly. "That was intense, huh?" She stood up, twirled the staff, and tossed it to him. "You dropped this."

Fox caught it back-handedly, twirled it the opposite direction, and put it on his back. The staff telescopically shrank to its storage size. "Good timing."

"Told you, Fox. You _need me_, hon. I'll always have your six. Not because I've fallen in love with you, but because that's what teammates do for one another." She looked down at the woman's body at her feet. It was motionless save for a few twitching fingers. Krystal took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, then released it slowly, to relax her heartrate. She shook her head, and said, "That was close."

"Too close," Fox agreed. "I thought you said seven?"

"Yeah, she entered the fight late. So … she's eight.

"I should have kept my guard up."

She detached the phone from the front of her suit top and tossed it to him. "Here's yer mobile." She pronounced the word, 'moe _bile_'

"Thanks." He ended the video she'd been taking, then he shoved his cell into his pocket. Fox shook his head with a frown.

"What is it, love?"

"Me. Dragging you into this. You want to become a mother, and I love that about you. It's the positive, wholesome, goodness that I don't get to see often enough in life, you know? What if one of those guys had a dead-man's bomb strapped to his or her gear belt? They could have killed us as their dying act."

"Fox, stop. You're worrying too much."

"I know, I know. Maybe I should've had you cover me from the air."

"Fox, you were the one in danger." She held up her paws, displaying her claws with a grin. "Not me. I didn't even scratch my nail varnish."

"No, you're right. You've come so far in such a short time … you could possibly beat me in a spar, now. Even though I clear my mind when I fight, you've always been able to counter my every move when we spar."

"_And_ I have that _one punch_ chi attack I showed you a couple'a years ago."

"Yeah, true. Krystal, don't get me wrong, okay? You're a valuable asset to my team. I love having you here. I love working with you. I love fighting by your side. I'm just … afraid. I've loved and lost once, already. I've had _years_ to get over the death of Fara Phoenix, but I'm still not over the fact it was _my fault_ as team leader. And, I mean, you … you're possibly the last of your kind."

"Well, I'm holding out hope … Cerinia was a space-faring race, after all. Just because I didn't see any ships on my sensors as I left the system, and just because no one answered my hails, it doesn't mean I'm the last."

"We talked about kids, and I agree that you would make an amazing mother."

"Oi," she mumbled somewhat embarrassed. "I mean, yes, Fox, the desire to procreate is strong, has been for a while now. The call of my biological clock is strong because I _feel_ like the last one of my kind. It's even stronger here."

"But you're also going to be optimistic about Cerinians?"

Krystal shrugged. "It would be emotionally healthy to be optimistic, love. And, yes, maybe there's a handful of survivors. But, what if they're all male? Or all female? If I never cross paths with them, they won't be able to save my race, either. But I have a handle on my insecurities. Especially because I have you at my side."

"Of _course_ you have me at your side, Krystal. I would never break up with you. I know, I know, you're not saying I would. And we've already agreed that we should become parents. I like the idea. No, I _love_ the idea. I'm just afraid of this line of work. If I was indisposed, you'd have to protect yourself and our baby. It's just … I mean…" He rubbed his face with his left paw. "There's a lot left to do before Lylat would be safe enough for me to raise a family."

"Let's both rely on one another to keep a handle on our insecurities, Fox. We have one another, and, together, no one can beat us. We'll make Lylat safe, together, so that we can raise a family without worries."

"I am committed to that, Krystal. And when I'm too old to fight, I'll teach the next generation to fight for Lylat."

Krystal offered a soft smile. She still sensed his insecurities but felt as though they had a handle on them, together, for the time being. "Well, for now, let's finish our work here. We'll all breathe a little easier with Andrew Oikonny behind bars."

Fox shrugged. "He's wanted dead or alive."

"You've killed Andross. You had to. Defeating him two times over Venom wasn't enough. You _had to_ kill him over Sauria. But Andrew is different. He's not even very smart, let alone clever or resourceful, and once he is behind bars, that will be it. He'll sit and rot. You don't have to darken your soul with another murder."

"Krystal, I kill almost every pilot I shoot down, if they don't eject fast enough. And…" he held his paws outward. "These soldiers, right here. Aparoids – an entire race. I committed genocide. What's one more to keep Lylat safe?"

Krystal sighed. She slugged Fox in the shoulder. "That's for giving in to your frustrations. You've got the bloody nous to be the good guy when the time comes. Don't be a cockup in the court of public opinion, Fox."

"Be the bigger man, huh?"

"Good, you understand. But, just so we're clear, Lylat will _never_ be 'safe enough' if you're obsessing over every little detail."

Fox reached up and rubbed the spot where his shoulder met his bicep, with a grunt, to keep it from knotting up. "Yeah, well…" He sighed softly with a shake of his head. "Geeze. If you'd told me, last week, that I'd be trying to figure out the semantics of starting a family, I'd have laughed. But … here we are."

"Here we are," she agreed.

"Are we really disagreeing about something?"

"Yes, Fox. I believe we are. There's no time like the present, but you want to wait until Lylat is 'safe,' which will never happen. I'm not going to have this spat with you. I don't like arguing."

"I mean, it's more of a disagreement, right?"

"Isn't that what an argument is? We're just being civil about it." A pause, then Krystal added, "At least the sex is good."

Fox smirked. "You think we have time for make-up sex?"

Krystal chuckled dryly. "That actually sounds rather nice, but let's clear the area of enemies, first."

"You know, when I gave you that ring … we never set a date. Maybe it's time to do that."

Krystal eyed him. She cleared her throat, exhaled calmly through her nose, and asked, "When are you thinking?" Her relaxed demeanor and relaxed tone covered up the intensity of her excitement, and the sudden rush of adrenaline that caused her heart to pound.

"My availability is wide open. We could get married right here, at one of these amazing temples, or even on Sauria at the Krazoa Temple. I'm thinking we've waited long enough. Let's simply set a date for however long it would take to get everything together. I already know I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

She offered him a genuine smile. "This … almost makes up for arguing with me about the _fact_ that I will be fighting _by your side_, happily, for the rest of my days. Team 'US.' Wedding bands and energy blasters."

"Krystal, if we're married, then you _have to _be out of this lifestyle."

She wasn't ready to hear that. Her maw dropped wide open.

"What? I have to know you're safe. I can't have you used against me. I will put the rest of the team in danger to safe you _every_ time."

"So, you'd have me across Lylat, living alone with our child … like Vivian Hare?"

"Krystal…"

"I can protect myself; I can protect our child."

Fox ran his paw back through his head-fur. His ears laid flat. "How can you protect our child if you're under fire?"

"Fox, don't start this again. I protected _you_ up in that cottage!" She pointed back at the little story-and-a-half house they had used, earlier, when they were pinned down by blaster fire.

"Krystal, please. I can't put a child in danger like that. I can't watch my daughter become the next Fara Phoenix, or my son become the next James McCloud. If they choose that lifestyle when they're old enough, then fine. But I can't watch it happen to them when they're too young to die. We're talking about babies, here."

Krystal glowered at him. "No, you'd be training our child, from day one, to survive the possibility of _anything_. And I mean _anything_, even the possibility of Corneria being doomed in the same way as Cerinia."

"I could train our kid from a speeder bike in a ravine, practicing on an old scowl, half-buried in the sands of Papetoon's western desert. I know the Arwing is a smooth ride for a fighter, but can you imagine breast feeding a baby while doing barrel rolls and dodging a squadron flank attack?"

Krystal groaned. "There are machines to pump breast milk so the baby can eat while I'm on a sortie, Fox!"

"Krystal, once the kid is out of the toddler age, we could talk about bringing you back to the active lineup."

"Come off it, Fox!" She exhaled through clenched teeth, then, in a softer voice, said, "Fine. You're so worried? Then _you_ retire, too. Whatever we do in life, I want to do it _together_. All in. None of this '_I'll fight while you sit home_' nonsense. I'm not the kind of woman that sits home and watches the news, hoping her man is alive. I need to be out here, with you, covering your tail."

"I need to maintain peace in Lylat by staying out here and fighting for it. The price of peace and freedom is eternal vigilance and hard work."

"God dammit, Fox. We are a _team_. You need to treat your future wife as your partner, or even your sidekick, or this relationship is doomed from the starting gate."

Fox pressed both of his palms firmly against his eyeballs. "We have _never_ fought before. What the hell is happening here?"

Krystal frowned. "Our … hormones are out of whack?"

He replied with a sour expression. "That's … possible, actually. Didn't we hear that the Krazoans factionalized, and that led to their demise?"

"Yes. Wait, is that what you think is happening here? A side effect of this … this _pheromone_ in the air might be causing us to argue?"

"It's possible," said Fox with a firm nod. "It might be causing us to become more aggressive as part of an increase in sex drive."

"Oh, God." Krystal cringed at the thought that they were both so completely affected by whatever was in the air.

Fox brought his gauntlet up and touched the user interface screen. A few seconds later, Slippy's holographic head appeared above his left paw.

"_Hiya, Fox! What's up_?"

"Slippy, run a chemical breakdown on the breathing air. Krystal and I think we're under the influence of something making us aggressive among other side effects."

"_Yeah, the pheromones. Don't you ever check your texts? Back on the Sauria operation, you didn't check them once. But I could see from my end that your heart rate was elevated at the time, so I assumed you were fighting_."

Fox stole a glance at Krystal, then cut his gaze back to Slippy. "Uh, probably. It's happened quite a few times. Thanks for the heads up. Sorry I missed it. It's just affecting us, you know?"

"_Based on your physiology, it would cause increased sexual libido, mild aggression, possible anxiety and frustration, and, of course, it will change your metabolic rate, so expect to feel hungry more often_."

Fox rubbed his chin with his right paw. "Now that you mention it…"

"_All right, I can see that Andrew's people are trying to track this data stream. They wanna use the call to triangulate our position. So only call if you need me, Fox! And we'll have to keep it short! Bye for now_!"

Fox grimaced. He watched Slippy's image fade, and Krystal's image become clear a few feet ahead. He offered her a weak smile. "Looks like you were right."

"Looks like you should set your gauntlet to vibrate when you receive messages." She returned his slight grin, approached, and patted his muzzle with her palm. "Let's just promise to turn our aggression toward Andrew's forces. They won't know what hit them."

"I think we already are," said Fox. He glanced back at the female lizard's body with the crushed skull. He exhaled and shook his head. Blood and clear cerebrospinal fluid leaked from the lizard's nostrils, ears, eyes, and the corners of her mouth.

"Oh, that? That was me protecting _you_. I hit her with the level two quake attack."

Fox sighed softly with a frown. "Krystal, I'm exposing you to this life and…"

"Oh, come off it," she replied in a flat tone. Her ears laid back. "I mean it. You can't keep trying to push me away. We're a _team_, Fox."

"You're right. I just … I feel bad that I've exposed you to something that you may regret later. You don't regret it now, but it's possible that, well, later, when you're…"

"Fox, seriously, shut yer mush. Look, I want to be a mum. And when I'm a mother, and I'm doped up on hormones, and I'm pouting that I am afraid to be a bad mother because I've killed people, I'm going to put on my big girl pants, and I'm going to remind myself that I can't mother a child without a compatible man in my life, and everyone I destroyed? It was to protect the man capable of giving Cerinia new life. I did what I had to do to survive, to preserve my race. I'll make videos of myself, telling myself, so that I can watch them and appreciate my situation. I'm prepared."

Fox nodded. "Okay. Okay, that's cool. I'm worrying too much. Sorry, hon."

"No need to apologize. It's sweet. It's just … also starting to get annoying, love. No offense. I'm telling you, Fox, I have survived losing _everything_. I have survived nearly losing my _new_ life when the Aparoids attacked. I sure as hell won't sit aside and let any other threat stand in my way."

"I can appreciate that. It's why I need to keep fighting to keep Lylat safe."

"Asking you to fight alone is a possible death sentence. That's why I'm going to fight by your side, Fox."

"Fair enough," he replied in a soft tone. "I just want to make sure we don't _both_ wind up dead."

"At least we'll be together," she replied with a slight grin. She quickly lifted her paws, gesturing for him not to take offense. "I'm deflecting. That was a joke, okay?"

Fox replied with a nod. "All right, let's get back to work, then, huh?"

"Music to my ears. My family always had very strong work ethic. We take pride in our work. I'm ready to throw myself back into it with both paws."

"Both feet," said Fox with a chuckle. "That's the expression – both feet. Because no one dives headfirst into drama – that's only for swimming pools."

Krystal chuckled with amusement. "Fine. Both feet, then. I'll dropkick our problems. With both feet."

"Now you're talking," he replied with a wry grin of amusement. "Now, we just have to find the next hunting party."

"I hope these squads don't _all_ have eight enemies or more."

Fox frowned. "Yeah. That _would_ suck. Do you sense anyone in the area?"

"At the edge of my range," she replied with a firm nod. "Let's get moving. I am ready to finish this job so we can decorate our new joint quarters on the carrier. I think we should call it Great Fox Carrier, but I would love to have another dreadnaught as well. A … _Great Fox 2_, in honor of your father's ship."

"That … sounds perfect."

Krystal offered him a smile. She met his gaze, winked in a playful way, and jerked her head to the left. "This way, my love."

Fox fell into step at her side. "Sauria. That's where we should take the next step of our relationship. Tricky would never let us hear the end of it if he couldn't attend, and his tribe needs him local. So … Sauria."

"That sounds perfect," she said. She reached for his paw and took it into her own. "And, honey, I mean it … no more talk about this line of work being too dangerous for me. Seriously."

"Or else … what?"

Krystal turned her head and glowered. "I mean it."

"I know, I know. I'm just curious what you'll do."

She scoffed at him, then smirked, and, in a playful tone, said, "I'll see if Panther is compatible with my genetics."

Fox gawked. "You wouldn't!"

"I'm kidding!" she gave his paw a squeeze. "Can you see that man raising a child? A son would become a womanizer, and a daughter would become a confused and fairly disgusted young woman, who gets very tired, very quickly, of her father flirting with every bug, flower, person, and object in his line of sight."

Fox chuckled. "Fair enough." Then, as an afterthought, he added, "Please, don't ever hook up with him. Like, if I die or whatever, don't hook up with _him_. Please."

"God, Fox, haven't we been over that?"

"I know. It's just … _Panther_. Freaking Panther."

"I know, I know."

"I would not know how to handle that."

"Fox, stop. You're the only man for me." She gave a tug on his paw. "Now, c'mon."

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Fox walked with her toward the nearest footpath in the overgrown tree-line, nearby. Then, in a fake husky voice, he said, "You can ride on _my_ wing, Krystal. Rrr-errr-errr."

Krystal broke into silvery peals of laughter. She replied the way she had replied to Panther, back during the Aparoid invasion. "Only if I'm covering Fox!"

"Har, har, har. Okay, Krystal. Maybe tomorrow, then. I have no life, and the Aparoids destroyed my favorite Cornerian eatery, so my schedule is always open."

She laughed again and gave his paw a firm squeeze. "Daft boy. C'mon. This way."

X

X

_A few hours later_…

**Krystal knelt in the jungle foliage**, peering through the lush green verdure at a grouping of Venom soldiers. She watched in silence at the lizards and apes having a smoke adjacent to an old building that resembled an apartment complex of sorts.

The building stopped somewhere around the fifth or sixth story. It appeared to have once towered over the ground, based on the amount of rubble around the outside of the building.

Krystal studied the remains. Based on the amount of debris, she decided the building was likely to have collapsed at its metaphorical knees.

She stole a glance at McCloud, beside her, peering through a pair of high-def binoculars. Her gaze returned to the building beyond the treeline.

"You wouldn't believe what they're talking about," she said.

A wry grin tugged at Fox's muzzle. "The same thing soldiers _always_ talk about. Their sexual conquests, their kills, their guns, and the car they have waiting for them back home."

Krystal blinked at Fox. She turned to face him, so that her nose was almost in his ear. "You don't talk about that kind of stuff when on a job, do you?"

Fox kept his gaze forward, on the soldiers in the clearing. "I'm not a soldier."

"You're a gun-for-hire. Do _you_ talk about those things?"

Fox chuckled and shook his head. "Not since meeting you. Guess I found a girl worth growing up for."

She bit her lower lip, looked away from Fox, and exhaled slowly. After a moment to compose herself, she said, "Okay, that was a pretty good line. Props to you."

"Wait, did I surprise you?"

Krystal nodded, causing her nose and whiskers to brush the side of his face. "It happens, sometimes. Like, when you just reply with the first thing that comes to your mind, without thinking about it … anyway, it was nice to hear."

Fox leaned back from the binoculars. "They're almost finished their cigarettes. They're checking their magazines, then they'll continue hunting for us."

"Oh, I see … our window for an ambush is closing, because they'll go back to searching for us again."

"Exactly. Here's the plan…"

"Fox, the sun is going down quickly, and lizards don't see in the dark as well as you and I. Also, they don't appear to have any night vision gear on them. They're going to do a perimeter sweep and then make camp. They even have someone to take the first watch shift."

"So, you wanna put them down now, or do you want to wait until they're asleep?"

"Asleep, but … I'm sensing you want to attack now?"

Fox nodded. "The commanding officer is on the communicator _right now_, checking in for the night with his superior. As soon as he puts that thing in his pocket, we rush them and take their gear."

"All right," she said with a nod. "I'm ready when you are."

"Don't kill the guy on the communicator. He knows the location of Andrew."

Krystal furrowed her brows. "How do you know?"

"Because that tattoo on his neck."

Krystal reached for Fox's binoculars, peered into them, and held her breath to focus her ability. "I think you're right."

"Yup. We can stun him, break limbs – whatever we have to do for information, so long as he doesn't die."

"Right, we probably don't have to go that far. You can ask him questions, and I can telepathically interrogate him."

"Or, if you want, _you_ can ask the questions. I'm okay with that."

"Okay, love. Good plan. Ready when you are."

Fox nodded firmly. "Just as soon as he ends that call."

Silence.

The two vulpinian pilots waited.

The head lizard closed his communicator and turned to the group, giving loud, clear instructions. Instead of making camp, they started packing up their gear.

Fox furrowed his brows. "What's going on?"

Krystal tilted her head as if trying to get better reception on the group's intentions from so far away. "They're … _leaving_?"

Fox turned to face her. "Wait, what? Seriously?"

"They just got word that Venom is under attack. And losing. Badly. Most of these soldiers are pilots. They're better in a cockpit than on a ground mission. Andrew wants them to stay and overwhelm team Star Fox, but _they_ want to go home and protect their families, just in case Corneria's military assault happens with the same zeal that a Venom military assault would have against Corneria."

"Meaning…?"

Krystal shrugged her shoulders and backed up from the dense brush. "Meaning they expect Corneria to burn everything to the ground the way Venom would do in an assault on Corneria. They are afraid for their families back home. They have no idea that Corneria is coming to liberate. They're scared and don't wish to tarry about."

Fox frowned. "And there's no way to assure them that Corneria is only there to break the command structure, and hand over the planet to the citizens."

"No, Love. They think they'll be going home to smoldering ruins and raped daughters. They're going to leg it back to their dropships, quick-like. Their plan is to head to a moon in orbit around Venom, where there are fighters prepped and unmanned. It's an emergency plan of theirs, apparently."

"I'll have Slippy warn Bill to shut that moon down before any fighters get off the ground."

"Probably for the best," Krystal agreed. "I'm glad they're not staying to help that daft prat, Oikonny."

Fox crept back into the jungle, away from the ruined buildings and the Venom soldiers.

Once he was far enough away, he turned on the screen of his gauntlet, and typed a message to Slippy.

A reply came quick, reading, "_Opening a channel to Bill right now. Stand by_."

Ninety seconds later, Slippy added another message. "_Bill and company destroyed the ghost fleet on that moon as their opening maneuver in the assault on Venom. They're employing EMP attacks to prevent a resistance, and they're jamming Venom comms. The assault is nearly over. He was actually surprised to hear you overheard that the pilots on Miracle were able to receive a status update from Venom. He said that by the time those dropships make it to Venom, the battle will already have been won. He's actually in the capital city right now, gathering Venom lawmakers, and is about to hand over the planet to them, under the condition that they break allegiance to Oikonny. Apparently, Corneria and a few other IDC planets around Lylat are going to fund Venom's separation from Oikonny until their economy is stable_."

"Holy smokes," Fox said under his breath. He called Slippy on the gauntlet, using the holo-chat. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure he was deep enough in the jungle so as not to be seen.

Slippy answered with a wave. "_Heya_!"

Fox asked, "Did Bill's people arrive with a treaty already drafted and ready for the lizards to sign, or something?"

Slippy turned away from the holo-chat, tapped a few buttons off camera, and brought Bill into the conversation.

"_Fooox_!" Bill said at a low volume, due to the setting on Fox's gauntlet. The canine smiled brightly. "_Finally, I'm going to be as famous as you, for winning the war against Venom, once and for all, my dude_!" Bill had his piloting helmet under his left arm, which faded into polygons of light near his elbow. The chin strap hung down, disappearing beyond the holographic emitter's range of sight.

Fox chuckled. "Hey, Bill. Who knew the two most famous pilots in Lylat history shared a bunk rack in the academy?"

"_Right?! That bunk rack is going to wind up in a museum! Anyway, Venom's government is kind of a mess, right now. We have three nations, and only two of them even care about what's going on – the other is avoiding Oikonny's people, avoiding the other nations, and avoiding what they _claim_ is an aquatic race … first I've even heard of _that_. Anyway, we've rounded up the executive, judicial, and congressional leadership for the two nations that back Oikonny_."

"What's the plan, Bill?"

"_Well, we're offering to help them adopt a model that will work for their situation, but the Venom military groups want to try and take over in Oikonny's name. They're even willing to work together with each other to make this happen, because Andross saved their people … or so they claim. Anyhow, they're only willing to lay down arms if Andrew surrenders, dies, or winds up in a Cornerian prison_."

"Oh … damn. Did you get that in writing from them?"

"_In a manner of speaking, yeah. So, do us all a favor, Fox, and catch that piece of crap. Then it will be totally _over_. Pepper and Hare want Andrew disgraced and locked away_."

"Why, so they can do what they did to Andross? They'll just let him go and he'll make an even bigger mess later on."

"_Nah, Fox, you capture him, broadcast a video feed of him begging for his life, looking weak, and being his usual whiney-self. We'll air it for Venom. Then, he'll never lead anything ever again. We can even put him in a Venomian prison at that point_."

"Yeah, well, you have a really big capital ship leaving Sauria and headed for Venom. Falco didn't destroy it because it's big as hell. The soldiers leaving here think they're going to come and 'liberate' Venom from you. Just stay on your toes."

"_I will. I'll take it down myself, if I have to_."

"So, Bill, you really want to put Andrew into a Venomian prison? You're sure that's a good idea?"

"_Foooox, when have I _ever_ led you wrong? You passed the academy with my help_."

Fox scoffed. "I aced the academy."

"_I remember things differently. Woke you up on your first day before the instructor saw you sleeping in your rack_."

Fox rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I'll find Oikonny and broadcast his surrender, live, in real time, to you. The live feed should only be a minute or two delay. Maybe longer."

Slippy chimed in. "_About eleven minutes based on where Venom and Sauria are in relation to one another in their orbital tracks around Lylat Central_."

"Fine, that then." Fox smirked. "See you as soon as the job is done, Grey."

"_Hurry up, _mercenary_. Or the Cornerian military will swing by and show you how to do a real operation_." Bill grinned. "_Clock's ticking, Fox_!"

Fox scoffed. "You were always obsessed with schedules and timetables. Give it a rest, Grey. See you when the job is done. But, don't worry, it won't take long, especially now that Andrew's boots-on-the-ground are about to become booster-lights in the sky."

Bill chuckled. "_Good! Tick-tock, Fox_!" Then, as an afterthought of sorts, Bill added, "_Hey! Krystal! If you ever get bored of working as a gun-for-hire, call me up. I'll fast track your career, and you'll be a Cornerian Air Defense pilot in no time flat! Just think it over! See you when you're ready for a _real_ career! With benefits_!"

"Hey!" Fox barked.

Bill laughed. "Medical, dental, and vision_, Fox! I'm not flirting with your girl. Get a grip_."

"You'd better not be," Fox said, glaring at Bill. Deep down, he questioned what was coming over him to act in such a way.

"_Geeze, see if I help _you_ again_!" Bill laughed. He closed the channel, still laughing, as the holographic image faded away.

Fox turned to Krystal. "I … don't know what came over me." He dropped his paws to his side with a sigh.

Slippy chimed in, a reminder that McCloud still had an open line. "_I'm sure he didn't think nothing of it, Fox. He was probably flattered that you'd think he was remotely capable of holding Krystal's interests_."

Krystal chuckled. "I suspect the same."

Fox rubbed his face with his right paw. He lifted his left wrist, so that Slippy's image was even, hovering at about shoulder-height on Fox's left side. McCloud blew raspberries of frustration, licked his lips, and said, "Hey, look … sorry, you guys, I was talking out my ass, there, you know?" He took a deep breath, held it for four seconds, then he released it slowly, over the course of about eight seconds. He performed the breathing technique one more time. "Okay. Good to go. Slippy, give me an approximation of Andrew's location, based on all localized data broadcasts and communications of all hostiles, and determine a planet-side probability for him."

Slippy grinned. "_You mean a _moon-side_ probability_."

Fox rolled his eyes. "Yes, exactly. You clever devil." His tone was dry, dripping with sarcasm.

"_Yes, yes, Amanda says the same thing about me. Can't wait for you guys to meet her in person. You guys will love her_!"

Fox cleared his throat. "Okay, cool. Text me with coordinates. I'll keep an eye out on incoming messages this time. I'm setting up my gauntlet so that it gives me a triple-vibration when you message me. Take care, Slip."

"_You, too, Fox_!"

Again, Fox dropped his arms back to his sides. Slippy's image faded from above Fox's paw.

Fox turned back to Krystal and said, "Okay. We wait for the enemy to leave, then we track down Andrew, and force him to surrender at gunpoint."

"Sounds like a plan," Krystal replied. "I kind of like the idea of him in a jail on Venom. Less drama – we won't have to worry about him making a mess or trying to escape Corneria."

"But I'll be able to keep an eye on him, though."

"Oh, Fox, he failed his followers. Let them be angry at him."

Fox rubbed his chin in thought. "When you put it like that…"

Krystal smiled. She took a step closer to him. "You know, the soldiers have cleared out of the area. That town we saw them using…? Right. It's empty. And it's night, now. We should set up camp until they're all off the lunar surface."

"Are you, uh, thinking what I'm thinking?"

Krystal nodded firmly. "Oh, I'm thinking it … I'm thinking we can do whatever we want, behave however we like, and then blame the pheromones in the air, later."

Fox grinned brightly. "I like the way you think. Let's uh … go … _explore_ that apartment building we saw, earlier. Have to make sure there are no Venom soldiers hiding in it, after all."

Krystal's smile broadened. "Yes, sir! That sounds like a great plan, sir! I'm here to follow your _every_ order, sir."

"Oh, we're roleplaying, now? Well, I _order you_ to take off that jacket. The humidity is a bit high, and you're over-dressed, pilot."

Krystal took it off and tied it around her waist with a grin. "Yes, good thinking, sir."

"Now, let's go and check out those ruins."

"Sir, yes sir!" Krystal hurried off, flitting her tail about to tease him.

Fox followed her, eyes on her backside. "Good girl, pilot."

His gauntlet chirped.

Fox looked down at it, browed furrowed. "Huh. No notifications, and the battery still has enough juice to get through a few more hours. What was that all about?" He shrugged with indifference. "Okay, whatever." Then he chased after Krystal. "Let me just describe, in detail, what I'm going to do to you when I catch you!"

X

X

**Slippy face palmed**. He peered through his fingers at Amanda with a nervous chuckle. "Sorry you had to hear that."

Amanda asked, "How'd that even happen?"

"If Fox puts his arms at his sides, the computerized gauntlet's gyroscopic sensor changes the holo-call to an audio call. He must have thought he ended the call, and kept talking to Krystal by accident."

The solid-light hologram of the tall pink and white amphibian reached over and gave his cheek a pat. "Honestly, though? Good for them. I say if it makes them happy, they should enjoy it. We're all adults, here. You and I met while roleplaying. But, it was responsible of you to turn down the volume once they announced their intentions."

"Yeah, but not fast enough. Good grief. 'Good girl, pilot,' I mean, really?" Slippy shook his head with a nervous chuckle. "I have known Fox my entire life, and I've _never_ heard him say something like that to _anyone_."

"Is it really weird for you, Slippy?"

He shook his head. "It's not that … it's just that they've been all over each other since arriving on the surface, more or less. My ears are tired from wearing the earbuds, and I had to put it on the Bluetooth speaker for a while, but … yeah, every time they fool around, I turn it down. It's my best friend, and I don't want to hear the stuff he says to his fiancée when they're doing things."

"Most people have to be reminded that it's inappropriate to listen in on someone's private conversations. Good for you, Slippy Toad. You're the kind of mature man I admire."

"Well, it's private."

"Aren't you supposed to be semi-monitoring the comms, though?"

"Yeah, I am, but, I mean, I don't want to hear what Fox says when he's on the toilet, in bed, in his sleep – I'm not morbidly curious like Falco. He used to stand outside the door to the lavatory outside the bridge of the old Great Fox, wait until it sounded like Fox was done doing his business, then shout, '_Ker-SPLASH!_' like a child."

Amanda turned away so as not to laugh. "I haven't really heard a lot about Falco, but the more I hear about him, the more I am inclined to laugh _at him_, not '_with him_.' You know?"

"Yeah. He's a typical jock. Only perfect that he's also a fighter pilot jock, too. And a video game shooter jock."

"Pretty typical. Not a lot of substance."

"You ever seen that movie with Tom Hawks?"

"Which one, Slippy?"

"The one where he makes a wish and wakes up in an adult body. That's what Falco is like – a child in an adult's body. It wouldn't surprise me if I ever caught Falco looking down his own pants, then snickering like a twelve-year-old."

Amanda broke out into hysterics. After a moment to regain her composure, she said, "Large. The movie's name is _Large_."

Slippy snapped his fingers. "Large! That's it! I remember thinking, like, when I was a kid, how cool would it be to dance on a giant keyboard on a floor in the middle of a huge toy store."

"You know how to play the piano?"

"Yeah. I took lessons when I was a kid. But I don't have any talent dancing. So, hitting all the keys with my feet would be a fiasco."

Amanda laughed softly and cupped either side of his face. Her hands felt room temperature and solid like a polished piece of wood. She leaned in and touched her lips to his, carefully, so as not to mash against his mouth too hard with the solid light hologram.

After a moment, she leaned back, and dropped her hands with a smile. "I can't wait to do that for real. To feel the softness of your skin."

"Jeeze. Dad was right. Playing the piano really will get me a girl one day. And I haven't even played anything for you, yet."

Amanda laughed. "You're talented, smart, a fighter pilot, and you've saved Lylat more than once. One day, I'd really like to clone you. The old fashion way, of course."

Slippy swallowed, brought his own fingerless-gloved hands to his face, and bit his lower lip a little. "Oh. That … that would be lovely. Wait, you're not being affected by the pheromones in the air, here, are ya? Heh."

Amanda grinned. "No, I'm only under the spell that _you_ put on me."

"Oh. Man. I wish I was as good at coming up with one-liners as you."

"I was raised by my daddy to have confidence. Slippy, I'll turn you into a confident man. Just need some time to mold you. Then you'll have the confidence you want."

"Looking forward to that!" He reached for her holographic hands and grasped the solid-light. "That doesn't hurt you, does it? I'm not squeezing too hard, am I?"

"No. My emitter has a safety setting to make sure that nothing can cause me harm. It's barely touching my hands."

"Oh. Good. You've got one of those _expensive_ holo-emitters."

"Yes. Anyhow, so now what?"

"We get back to work, hacking these Krazoa servers and unlocking their secrets, of course!"

"Sounds great to me." Amanda reached down and gave Slippy's backside a swat. "My man. And no one had better lay a finger on you. That goes for Falco, too. The next time he bullies you, just say the word. I've never punched a falcon's lights out, before. First time for everything."

Slippy gawked, but then grinned in a giddy way. "Would it be unmanly to say I'd kill to see that?"

"No. Manliness is a person who can provide for his family, works hard, is present for his children, and is faithful to his wife. That is manliness. Okay, Slippy, back to work, then, right?"

"Exactly right!"

X

X

_Meanwhile, on Venom_…

**Zazan lowered to one knee, until acknowledged** by his emperor, and then he stood up, chin high, back straight, with his shoulders square. "The Cornerians have crushed the reptile rebellion, up on the surface. You were right, your excellency, they don't even know we're here – they didn't acknowledge our existence."

"Outstanding. Will we have to end trading with the nation of reptilian creatures on the opposite side of the world from the other two nations?"

"No, sire, Corneria does not seem to have any desire to deal with them. They are keeping to themselves."

"Excellent." The emperor nodded firmly. "That is what I like to hear."

The emperor tilted his head a bit, listening to the water throughout the fully flooded hall of the throne room. He turned back to Zazan.

Zazan's luminescent green eyes narrowed to slits. "Did you hear something?"

The emperor shook his head. "No. I have been studying the creatures that defeated The Creator. It appears one of them is an amphibian. Is that true?"

Zazan nodded firmly. "Yes, sire. Slippy Toad."

"Disgusting that an Aquarian would choose to side with mammals. And is it true that Slippy Toad's father created some of the hardware used to defeat The Creator?"

"Yes, your excellency."

"Thank you, Zazan. I have been studying the amphibian brain. Did you know Octoman's brainwave output is naturally capable of making an amphibian trust him? He thinks on a frequency that is receptive to amphibians."

Zazan tilted his head in curiosity. "You think Octoman can turn Slippy?"

"I think with a bit of genetic engineering, Octoman can brainwash some of our enemies. He would have a naturally easy time with an amphibian male, based on the way their brainwaves work. I'm fleshing it out, but my study models continue to show that it does not take much for the victim to wake from the influence. But the natural physiology of Octoman's brainwave output makes him the prime candidate to perform such an attack against the mercenary team. With enough practice and a way to amplify his brainwaves, he could even take a mammal under his control."

"_Could_ he?" Zazan eyed his emperor. "That idiot could make people do his bidding?"

"Yes, to some extent. You see, Zazan, brainwaves of the receiving creature … that's the important part. The avian would likely be immune. The orange and the blue fox would take a great deal of work and breaking them would take too long, unless Octoman had more time to practice. The amphibian, however, would be perfect."

"I didn't even know such a thing was possible."

"I'll have to build the amplifier for Octoman to utilize for my plan to succeed. But I've been studying these creatures, and this … this Slippy Toad … deserves to turn against his team. If they survive the dagger to their backs, they will never trust him again. That is how they will be beaten. Divided, they cannot stop me until it's far too late."

"What happens if Octoman fails?"

The emperor shrugged. "Once I have everything in place, they will not beat me, together or otherwise."

"I'll put things into place to prepare for war against Corneria, your liege, but I shall not act until your command."

"Very good, Zazan. You should be in charge of the assault on Corneria."

"I would be honored, your excellency."

"I know," said the emperor. "We will avenge the murder of The Creator. But I have another pressing task at hand."

"May I ask of this task, Sire?"

"Andross didn't know if he could trust us when he was creating us. Reasonable – we could have hated our creator, and he had no way of knowing. He built a device capable of changing the oceans of Venom. This ocean is our greatest defense. Once he realized that we were perfect, and would be fantastic to carry out his vision, he decided to bury the device somewhere on another planet. I don't know where, yet. It's somewhere in Lylat. I want it found and destroyed."

"I will begin an investigation, Sire."

"Very good. You are my most trusted confidant, Zazan. I trust you will handle Corneria when it is time for the attack."

"I am honored by your faith in me. For now, I have recalled all our training forces, shuttered the launch bays, and engaged the false-positive projectors along the ocean floor. It should fool _any_ sensors manufactured in Lylat."

The emperor nodded firmly. "Projectors built from decimated Aparoid technology, as I recall."

Zazan nodded firmly. "By your leave, I would like to inspect the facility once more, to ensure that Corneria's Interplanetary Defense Coalition does not find us."

"I will see you after Corneria's withdraw, so we can refine our strategy on their destruction. You are, of course, monitoring their flight patterns, their rules of engagement, and their protocols while they are here?"

"Yes, my Emperor. We're using computer software programmed by The Creator to study them. The data models will assist us in an assured victory in a short time."

A rare grin tugged at the corner of the emperor's mouth. "I will send for you when their forces are withdrawing. If they change their MO, and decide to occupy Venom, I will let you know. But, all current projections suggest that their economy is balanced by refusing to occupy the territory of others. Instead, they like to set up an economic model for those with whom they wish to do business. I assume they will set up import and export with Venom nations and return to '_business as usual_.'"

Zazan smirked and narrowed his glowing green eyes. "I look forward to being the liaison to whom they will answer, when we crush and oppress them."

The emperor chortled in amusement. "This is why I like you as my right-hand man, Zazan. Go. Perform your inspection. We will speak again soon enough."

Zazan placed a finned arm over his chest, lowered to one knee, briefly, then took his leave of the throne room.


	13. StarFox Commanding

**Author's Notes**: _Okay, another abridged chapter. It's obvious that they've been together, physically, at the start of the chapter, but I take out the details. Unabridged version is linked in my profile.  
Also. I wanted to try something new today. _So, for those who remember the old days in the 1992 issue2 Star Fox comic by Ben Itoh, you'd see the lizard, who puts a gun to Fara's head, has breasts. Someone pointed that out to me. My wife was like, "She literally tells Fara, 'Move your tail, precious!' Only a woman would say that to another woman."

Well, maybe so. Or a gay man. Or ... a transitioning woman, maybe?

I thought an opportunity presented itself! A chance to write something I've never written about before ... something that requires empathy and compassion and struggle. Something that elicits powerful emotions. Not just some writing gimmick, but something that has real meaning, you know?

But, I had Eric Adler written out in several books, and he has a kid in the books that happen at the end of the series. So, I though to myself, what if Eric Adler was a transitioning female, and had been subjected to testosterone and performance enhancers during the war against Corneria.  
What if Adler, one of my most aggressive badguys in my fan fictions, was really more complex of a character, with the desire to repent, the desire to change, and be a better person. What if that character was undergoing a powerful and inspirational story, while trying to survive some of the most powerful heartbreaking moments in that character's life?

And, another thing, lizards don't have mammaries. Right? So, I thought about ways of tackling the image in that comic issue, too.

I welcome any feedback from anyone undergoing their own transitioning journey. Hey, you got this. I believe in you. You can do it. You're awesome and you're loved. ^_^

* * *

Chapter -13-  
_Star Fox Commanding_

_The next morning,  
Surface of Miracle_…

Krystal eyes lowered to the vulpine lying on the floor of the aging brick tower. Her hair flitted about in the breeze of adjacent windows. She was perched upon his lap, and, with a soft sigh of content, she offered Fox an exhausted smile. "You're being sweeter than I've ever seen from you in the past. More impressive than that is … how you're being consistent with your actions and emotions. I appreciate that."

"You're worth it," Fox replied. He gave her paws a gentle squeeze, then he un-interlocked his fingers from hers "I know that, well, once we leave this world, or once we find and disable the pheromone distribution center, things will be less intense, but … they don't have to be."

"I agree. It seems like we've been more affected than when we first arrived." She kept her hips as still as possible, still seated upon his lap. Her paws went to his shoulders to keep herself upright. "Like things are stronger than before."

"Yeah, I think it's starting to build up in our bodies, maybe."

Krystal nodded. "Either it's something that is building in our bodies, or we're getting closer to the source. I'm thinking it's the latter because my sense of smell and taste are changing."

"Oh, I'd not considered a saturation level. You're right, we might be getting closer to where it's more … concentrated. So, your senses are being affected? How, exactly, would you say they're changing?"

"Like a pregnant woman, I think. That's what I've read." Krystal rolled her paw outward, looking for a way to explain. "For one, our MREs taste difference. My sense of smell is getting stronger. I don't know how to explain it better than that. And your musk is driving me _crazy_. That's not something I ever thought I'd admit, but there it was."

Fox grinned up at her. "Yeah, I could use a shower. That's for sure."

"I've never found the smell of sweat 'sexy,' but my god, I can't get enough of you. That's why I think we're getting _closer_ to the distribution center for the pheromone."

"Ah, that makes sense." A grin tugged at his maw. "I'm glad you're not doing this mission with anyone else."

Krystal laughed. "Yeah, but I've always had feelings for you – ever since you saved my life. Ever since I met you. It's been an instant bond of trust. You have treated me as an equal, and you have respected my desire to fight for something. I know you have my back. I'm just glad we both feel the same way about one another."

"Just … promise me you won't ask to go on missions if-and-when you're pregnant."

"That's … reasonable, Fox. Just so long as _you_ take a break when _I_ do. I want to experience this _together_. Whether we're at war or not, if we're bringing a family into this life, it has to be together. As a team."

"Krystal, if we're attacked and I have to go into battle, I would want you home, keeping the children safe. But if you want to organize and take control of the situation back home, then…"

"Fox. Listen to me. I am a telepath. My race? We already know how to anticipate one another's needs. We speak … _spoke_ out of social courtesy, and we did our best not to pry into the thoughts and dreams of our neighbors, the same way Cornerians try not to eavesdrop on their neighbors, especially those with fantastic hearing, like Peppy. But my race does _everything_ together. Did. It … once _did_ everything … together. And, well, now, I crave that. A feeling of belonging. It's how I'm hardwired."

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

She sensed his inquiry and frowned. "The reason I was _alone_ in my shuttle, is because I was a volunteer, performing a study and repair on a distant orbital probe at the edge of our system. It gave me the chance to get away and be alone with my thoughts for a few days. That is very different than being alone with my thoughts for the rest of my life."

"Wait, you didn't know your system was about to be doomed?"

"I knew there was a problem with our system's star. I didn't know it would doom the planet. My parents made sure I got on that shuttle. They figured out that the system didn't have long. They made sure I wouldn't be in harm's way, and they made sure I had more than enough fuel. They made sure I had provisions, and my mother packed family jewelry that was a heritage right – it's how I knew she knew. I wore the ruby tierra out of the system, but then I found the emerald tierra she always wore. It was packed away on my ship. Now I wear it to honor her. Needless to say, Fox, I didn't run away when the world began to freeze. I was beyond range to help."

"I can respect what your parents did, Krystal. They protected you. They protected their legacy."

"Fox, we talked about this. I'm like my parents – I want to do what it takes to protect my child, just like they did, but I also want nothing more than to be the one that stands for something – I could never run from danger."

"Yeah, well, Krystal … I'm literally afraid to put you into danger, especially if we go forward with having a family, because I don't want to lose another important person in my life. And, well, you're possibly the last of your race. I can't be responsible for the last Cerinian to die."

"You are not responsible for the death of Fara Phoenix. It was war. You're a small team, and you were spread thin."

"Krystal…"

"Fox…" she replied.

"Krystal, listen … if there is serious danger, I wouldn't want my child to grow up without a mother. I know what it's like. It sucks."

"I don't want to hear it. I may change my mind once I have a child in my arms, but I won't promise you anything, because, let me tell you, I will fight tooth and nail to protect my baby's home."

"Krystal…"

"I'm serious, Fox. I would happily give my life to protect the future legacy, culture, and heritage of Cerinia. Our child would be all that's left of Cerinia, and I will fight to protect that. You can't deny me the right to fight if it becomes necessary."

"Krystal…" he repeated.

"Fox, please. If we're going to do this … if there is going to be an _us_, it has to be total and without reservation. I am your wingmate, your teammate, and your _mating_ partner. Sober, squiffy, or sloshed, we do everything together. No more waffling about it. We're a team. Got it?"

Fox took a deep breath, followed by a firm nod. "All right. I can respect that. I mean, you know, I'll do my best. I want to make you happy."

Krystal sensed his reservations, but she also sensed that he wanted to try for her. She leaned down with a smile, still perched upon his lap, and kissed his lips softly. "Thank you," she whispered against his maw. "I appreciate the respect you're showing me. I have fallen for you, lover boy."

"I'm a little on the traditional side at times. I'll do my best not to mess things up."

"Fox, my love, you were denied the right to enjoy a normal childhood with both of your parents. You were denied the knowledge of a healthy loving relationship, and you were denied a childhood of your mother's attention. It is unfair what Andross took from you. Just as it is unfair that I have to endure a life without my family, my race, and so much more. But, the fact that I want to fight for Lylat because I was denied the chance to fight for Cerinia … and the fact you want to fight for a safe star system where you can father a family in the way you've romanticized about the things that 'could have been' with your own family…" She trailed off and shook her head.

"Yeah?"

"…It is both gut-wrenchingly sad to me, and so very moving to see that you want what you could not have. It's very pure, it's very wonderful. And I want to be the woman to give you that. But only if you give me what I need – a relationship where we share whatever happens, no matter what it is, together as a team. Now, I know you have your reservations…"

"Yeah, I do."

"But the fact you said you're willing to try and work through them? That means _everything_ to me, Fox."

"I'm glad. I'll do my best."

"That will have to be enough. After all, I need for my children to have a father. So, you know I'll have to have your six. I can't let anyone shoot off that handsome tail you have."

Fox chuckled and looked away, briefly. "I've never heard anyone else compliment my butt."

"Were Fara and Miyu _blind_?"

Fox choked on his nervous chuckle. "Uh, I hope not – they were pretty good pilots. I thought you felt it was weird to bring them up."

"No, it's weird that you try to suppress your memories of them. You cannot mourn or learn from your past if you do not reflect on it from time to time."

"I'm a McCloud, and the way we handle pain and drama is to bottle it, lock the lid, and handle whatever life is throwing at us."

"That's unhealthy," she said with a nervous sounding chuckle. "Bordering on dangerous, really."

"Yeah, probably. But it's how I put my feelings about my family aside, so I could focus on fighting Andross. I couldn't let him beat me, and I had to be the one to put him down. So, I bottled everything the way my father taught me, and I forced myself to focus. It kept me alive."

"All right, well, things will be different for us, Fox. We can fight side-by-side to keep each other alive. Our children will _never_ have to endure the pain we did. They will never suffer the losses we felt. They will have their parents until they are old and mature enough to handle our elderly passing."

Fox feigned a slight smile. "That sounds nice. I hope it happens that way."

"Yes. Me, too." She placed her paws on his shoulders again, braced herself, and gently moved away from his lap. She flopped onto her right hip, at his side, and exhaled softly. "Do you, uh, have any napkins or…?"

"What for?"

"That bloody aubergine you gave me, earlier? Are my pupils dilated?"

"Uh, well, yeah. They are."

She nodded firmly. "Mm-hmm. And why else do you think my pupils are wide as saucers? You gave me the nightshade." She grinned at her joke. "Not sure if your people ever did that. Mine liked to use nightshade to make our eyes look 'sexy.' Nightshade fruits and flowers soon became euphemisms on Cerinia for a man and woman's…"

Sudden realization dawned on Fox. "Oh, right!"

"Giving someone the nightshade became a euphemism for lovemaking. So … napkins?"

"Uh. Yeah. Right, sorry. I have…" he sat up, turned to their gear packs, and rifled through them. "…Something." Another brief pause, then he added, "…Somewhere. Geeze, it's around here somewhere. How'd cave-dwelling types deal with this? A big ole leaf?"

Krystal shrugged. "My ancestors had no sweat glands until about fifteen-to-twenty thousand years ago. We also likely did a lot of things differently concerning the act of mating."

"Yeah, true. And, hey, Cornerian scientists seem to think that _our_ ancestors didn't have sweat glands until fifteen-to-twenty thousand years ago, too." He continued to rifle through the pack. "Funny how both of our species evolved the ability to sweat around the same time."

"Funny how our species are genetically compatible," Krystal added. "Did you find anything?"

"Uh, no. You, uh…" Fox offered a slightly wicked smile.

"…Want to clean me up? I'm sensitive after all that!" She looked down at his gauntlet computer. "Well, no one is in the area. So … _maybe_."

X

X

_An hour later_…

**Bill Grey's fighter launched from **the Fast Attack Carrier, which had eight tubes for launching fighters, and was designed for high speed and intense battles. The launch caused intense gravity force against his chest. His adrenaline spiked, and he tensed up with excitement. "This is Lieutenant-Colonel Grey; I'm joining the fray! I need the first four teams to form up on me!"

Bill tightened his right paw on the control stick, and, with his left, he eased the throttle forward just a bit. His right foot eased inward on the pedals.

With a clear head, he cut his gaze between the sensor scope and the canopy HUD. A flashing indicator on his HUD displayed Delta team show up on his port, Charlie team show up on his starboard, and, seconds later, Alpha and Bravo joined him as well.

A slight smile tugged at the corners of his muzzle. "All right, boys and girls, let's show Oink-o-nee's forces how we do things in the Air Defense Corps. I want to lay a clear path of ordinance on the coordinates I'm uploading to your targeting computers. That'll ground a quarter of their forces from taking off, and it will keep the rest of them from being able to refuel. Ready, gang?"

Each of the four wing commanders replied something to 'aye, sir!' in order from Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta's team leader.

Bill reached forward with his left paw and flipped a silvery-colored physical switch to open his bomb bay doors. The switch clicked in loud reply, followed by the sound of a mechanical whir beneath his fighter. "Okay, this cap-ship that was hassling Sauria is the brunt of the remaining Venom forces. It's virtually the _only thing_ that stands in our way of liberating Venom. But we can't let them call for help. So, the Venomian comms buoy is my target, and the defense satellite is your first target, team. Those satellites have amazing shields, so everyone here has to hit it with a missile. Ordinance hot, team. Is _everyone_ ready?"

A series of overlapping replies came over the comms.

Bill's grin broadened. "Outstanding! Let's do our best work today. On my mark … three, two, one, and … release your ordinance _now_!" He thumbed a button atop of his control stick, while pushing forward, then he pulled back on the stick.

His dash cluster reflected the shadow of his helmet from the bright explosion behind him. The communications buoy flashed into a charred hunk of metal. It glowed, briefly, then the scrap metal iced over rapidly.

Someone shouted over the radio, "And _that_ is how we kick some ape-ass!"

Another added, "Made a handbag out of those lizards!"

Bill smirked. He glanced back at the debris of the defense satellite. He cleared his throat admonishingly, and said, "Now, now, there's no need for racial comments like that. We have a few Simians and reptiles flying and fighting for Corneria, too."

"All right, all right," said one pilot. "Everybody heard the man. Any objections to stowing the racism talk?"

No reply from the others.

Bill used his left paw to manipulate a touch screen on his dash. He dragged his fingertip from his location and dropped a ghosted logo overtop of a symbol for a distant capital ship. "Now, let's sink ourselves a battleship. I just sent you guys my new target."

"On your wing, Colonel!"

"Lieutenant Colonel," said Grey.

The pilot, Alpha squadron's wind commander, said, "I heard you're going to be a full Colonel when we get back to Corneria. This win is going to make your career, boss."

Another pilot, one of the boys from Bravo, said, "You're going to have to change your callsign from Big Dog to _Top Dog_."

Bill chuckled. "That's John Pepper, not me."

"No way," said the wing commander for Charlie squadron. "He's retiring. New guy is a rabbit. Lapin types are too defensive. Not aggressive enough to lead a war pack. Rabbits are good at running away and they're good at making strategy. You'll have his job in no time."

Bill shook his head. "Boys, that _rabbit_ is Peppy Hare. His strategies took Star Fox, a single squadron, to the finish line against Andross _and_ the Aparoids. I've flown with Hare. He's _never_ run away. Not once. I can vouch for him."

Silence.

Bill added, "Peppy was hand-picked by General Pepper to lead the IDC. And, for the record, he's asked me to head up the Air Guard. I haven't given him my answer yet. But if I lead this fight to the checkered flag, I might take him up on his offer. I've been assured that if I do everything by the book, it would fast track my career to becoming a one star general."

A few overlapping whoops filled the airwaves.

The capital ship loomed in the distance. It was long, cylindrical, and impressively menacing, even from three miles out.

Bill double-tapped his finger on the symbol for the enemy vessel on his scope. A screen on the dash brought up a scan of the capital ship. It appeared to be roughly two miles in length, with cannons on all sides, top, and bottom. It spit out fighters.

Bill shook his head. "Man, it looks like a stream of roaches dashing out of a hiding spot. Everybody read to squash these cockroaches?"

"Aye!" exclaimed several pilots over the line. The radio elicited a chirp to follow their responses.

Bill watched the fighters fan out in all directions.

"Sir!" said one of the pilots from Charlie Squadron. "That thing is covered in gun batteries. How are you going to approach it? Looks like the engine boosters are very well protected."

Someone from Delta added, "Damn. That is one hell of a ship. If you take over the IDC, can we get some of _those_, LC?"

Bill replied with a dry chuckle. "Yeah, sure, but not _that_ one. Because that one is going down."

Another voice. "LC Grey, there is no way to attack that ship."

"_Sure_ there is," said Grey. "I've been studying it since leaving Corneria. Falco Lombardi sent me a data dump from the Great Fox, which had been monitoring that thing while it was over Sauria. The intel we've gathered suggests the only way to take it down is from inside. But, we can't get a man in there, so … it'll have to be _me_."

"You're going to fly in there?!" exclaimed someone from Bravo.

Bill grinned. "If Fox McCloud can do it to a core base, I can do it against a carrier ship. I'll fly right in there, while you guys distract the guns. While you guys keep'em distracted, I'll get a running start from far enough back that they won't pay attention to me until it's too late and I'm in. That's the plan. If that Prayer Play doesn't work, I have an Ace-in-the-hole play that _will_ do the job. You guys will finish the job … _if_ I die."

"Lieutenant Colonel," said another one of the fighters in the comms chat. "This was never the plan, sir!"

"Sure it was, Delta squadron Wing Commander!"

"This better not be something the new guy wants us to do!"

Bill blinked. "The new guy?"

"Aye, sir! General Pepper, knows that cap-ships like that one would be a nightmare for fighters to even try and get close. That's our dog!"

"Our dog?" Grey replied with a scoff. "This plan was something I worked out with 'the rabbit,' not General Pepper. It's a bit more paws-on, and not quite so _protocol_, but I think it will work."

Someone from Alpha said, "I'm not sure I trust the plan if it was dreamt up by a rabbit, sir."

Bill sighed. "Peppy Hare has more experience with unconventional tactics that are tailored around the pilots flying the missions, not Cornerian battle cruisers who can't get in close enough to fight cap-ships that size."

"By the Lion Born of a Tigress, Lieutenant Colonel, if this mess doesn't work, you're going to be remembered as the cocky dog that threw away his chance to defeat Venom's forces once and for all. All because you're willing to risk doing something based on a stunt instead of flying by the book."

Bill grimaced. "What's your name, pal?"

"Arthur. James Arthur, Commander Air Group with the…"

"I don't care," Bill interrupted. "Listen up, Arthur-James-Arthur, I have actionable intelligence on this thing. I selected you four squads because you boys and girls have the highest kill scores, and you stay alive the longest. I needed to make modifications to your shield frequency settings for this plan to work."

"Do you really believe you can get inside that thing and pull off a direct attack on the core?"

Bill chuckled with a nod at his holo-lens. "I had my ship outfitted with ordinance for this plan to work. I had a holo-emitter installed for this plan to work. '_By the book_' flying has taken Corneria as far as we could against Venom."

"Sir? Are you talking about the Lylat War against Venom?"

Bill nodded. "Damn right. We were in a hot war, then we were in a cold war, and now we're in another hot war. The thing about John Pepper is … he had to think outside of the box. His stunt was hiring an untested mercenary group of teenagers flying under the banner of a retired squadron. If people expect a fastball and you throw a curveball, well, we don't have time for sports metaphors, so get onboard or jump ship. But whatever you decide to do? Do it now."

There was silence over the radio.

"What's it going to be _Arthur James Arthur_?" Bill grimaced, glad his expression was hidden by his helmet. He'd just dressed down the CAG of the largest fleet carrier group to protect Corneria, and he knew the man was a fantastic pilot.

Finally, James Arthur replied, "I'm not a deserter or a coward. Just know this – I have a baby that was born earlier in the week. And if you make that kid grow up without a father, I can't promise that my wife won't hunt'cha down, sir."

Bill chuckled. "If _you_ die, it's only because I'm already dead. This plan puts all the risk on me. I'm tired of losing pilots. This war … the _original war_ has taken some of the best, most talented, and most impressive pilots I have ever met. Too many pilots to name. I don't want to lose any _more_ pilots. Not today."

"With all due respect, sir, just…" The CAG trailed off with a soft sigh. "Do me a favor and name _one_. I don't want to think that my own death would become a forgotten name."

"I don't forget names, James Arthur." said Bill. "I learn them in the after-action reports and memorize them."

"Sir? Just name one."

Bill pursed his maw tightly shut. After a moment to internalize this highly unprofessional conversation on the battlefield, he took a deep breath and decided to cut the new father some slack, knowing the CAG would have been tired. "Fine. Fara Phoenix."

"Wait, the daughter of Zerda Phoenix? That daddy's girl was a _fighter_ pilot?"

"Damn right," said Bill. "Finest special operations agent and hot-shot-pilot I have ever met. She could have flown circles, squares, and triangles around Fox McCloud. No one knows how she died – likely with her boots on the ground, because she was too good of a pilot to be killed in action in a cockpit, despite what the media claims."

"Sir, I grew up in Westtown outside Corneria Cap., and I heard that Zerda Phoenix's daughter _was_ shot down, sir. Right over Westtown. She was saved by Fox McCloud. I heard she was a test pilot, not a fighter pilot. There's a huge difference between the two."

Bill scoffed. "The only time she was shot down, it was in an untested prototype Arwing, and she was fighting in unrestricted airspace with zero intelligence on the battlefield. She was hit by an ion missile. The original intel on those things suggested that an Arwing's shields should have been able to handle one ion missile. And, for your information, Phoenix broke a direct order to liberate Westtown, so you should have thanked her."

"_She_ liberated Westtown? I heard it was Star Fox."

Bill chuckled, followed by a soft sigh. "Who do you think led StarFox into Westtown airspace, pilot? It was her and a handful of mercenary Arwings against Andross' _entire Front-Line battalion_. Five against several thousand. Westtown was liberated, as was Corneria Capital. Most importantly, she survived to fight again. So, yes, the goddamn daughter of Zerda Phoenix was a warplane pilot and a _star fighter ace_. Read up on her, then maybe you'll give her the respect she deserves."

Absolute silence.

Bill cleared his throat. "Arthur, James Arthur, did you copy that?"

"Sir, yes sir."

"Outstanding. Let's go and take down Venom's largest-ever capital ship. Who's with me?!"

There was some whooping from a handful of the other pilots, which caused the radio to distort slightly.

"All right. Attack formation Sierra Oscar Lima! Form up! When I give the signal that we're entering the range of that ship's guns, you boys break; make yourselves impossible to hit. I'll appear to run away, turn around, then hit the boost, and fly right into their main hanger. Any questions?"

A handful of pilots replied with something akin to, "Sir, no sir!"

"Outstanding!" Bill punched the throttle. "Let's go put Venom's capital defenses out of commission!" He double-tapped the large sensor scope symbol, depicting the outline of the carrier on his screen. His eyes shifted from port to starboard, counting the fighters projected on his HUD all around the canopy.

Everyone was with him.

Bill made a direct line for the massive carrier in the distance. It was larger than anything he'd ever seen before. "God, building that thing should've crashed the Venom economy. It sure will be a pleasure to force it into a decaying orbit over Venom's moon. Okay, boys, thirty seconds … _mark_."

Silence. The pilots flew for the longest half-minute of their lives.

Bill glanced at his left wrist, spying his heart monitor on a little wristwatch he wore. His heart raced at a steady one hundred thirty beats per minute.

"God, that thing should have won the war and rescued Andrew Oikonny from the moon over Sauria. Thank the goddess, Lylat, that it was afraid to go up against Star Fox's carrier, directly."

No one else spoke.

Bill opened a private channel, briefly, to Falco Lombardi. "Hey, you still out there."

"Katt and I are doing the job you paid us for, Bill. We're handling the Venom Ace Pilots that were left behind to protect the planet. The ones that went missing when you had Venom 'officially surrender,' earlier."

"Everything okay? I haven't seen you two since the fight began."

Lombardi scoffed. "You probably won't see us, either. We're fighting on the dark side of Venom. Don't sweat it. Those 'Aces' won't be joining the fight against you."

Katt piped up over the line. "These ace pilots are no joke. Toughest fighters I've ever engaged. We'll keep them off your back, Bill."

"Thanks, you two." Bill closed the private channel and switched back to the channel he had open with Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta wing. "Almost there, boys and girls!"

A warning on Bill's canopy HUD displayed, "_Weapons lock detected_!"

"Okay!" Bill shouted. "Break and evade!"

His large team dispersed into multiple directions. The warning on his HUD disappeared, reappeared briefly, then disappeared again, due to the ship trying to target so many other ships at once.

Grey occasionally dropped bits of chaff to make sure he wouldn't make himself a target, while his pilots confused the cap ship's turrets.

Bill turned about, hit the afterburn toggle, and raced away from the group. He kept his eyes on the '_distance from target_' display in the lower right corner of his canopy, directly above the dashboard, where the cockpit glass met the frame of his fighter.

Once it reached '_1,000 KM_,' Bill pulled back on the control, turning to face the distant ship again. It was just a tiny speck of light, ahead of him. There was an orange circle around the ship displayed on his HUD.

"All right, Venom … this one is for _you_, Fara Phoenix." Bill reached down and toggled an unlabeled physical switch on his dashboard. A simple crimson LED illuminated adjacent to it.

Bill put the throttle to maximum, thumbed the boost, and watched the 'distance from/to target' display roll backward. The twinkling light in the distance began to grow in size.

When the target distance indicator reached _twenty-five kilometers_, he squeezed a tertiary trigger, beneath the main guns, on his control stick.

Bill's ship bucked. A black-painted object blasted forward in front of him, but the object's booster design suppressed the tail flame. It raced ahead of him like a scramjet screaming toward its target.

It struck the shields of the enormous capital ship, and it released an enormous amount of high-frequency energy, causing the carrier's shield computer to reboot. In that seven second window, Bill followed the missile-like object right to the main hanger bay of the super carrier.

The missile struck the carrier bay doors, blasting them apart with an enormous explosion.

The initial explosion was designed to blast inward, to keep fighters and pilots from being blown out through Bill's makeshift entrance.

He cut throttle, and simultaneously switched to atmospheric flight mode. With the flip of a switch, he changed over to mass driver cannons.

Fighters, damaged by the initial concussive blast, lifted from the flight deck, and seemingly floated upward, toward the hole in the hanger bay doors.

Bill skillfully dodged the debris as if it was a training simulation. He opened fire on one fighter directly ahead of him, throwing it clear across the hanger bay, so that it bowled over several other fighters, which had been secured. The entire group of them lurched upward, passing through the massive hole in the hanger bay doors.

He switched back to ship's blasters with the flip of a switch.

Bill noticed, from the corner of his eye, the elevator doors leading to the barracks … they opened, and five pilots were pulled from the elevator in an instant. They flailed through the air, unable to stop themselves from being blown out, across the hanger, and through the hole leading into space.

Bill cringed at the sight of _people_ flying through the large flight deck. "That's why _our_ carriers have pressurization airlock elevators! Get with the times, dudes!" Despite deflecting, he disliked killing pilots in such a way, no matter whose side they were on. He held his thumb over the button for his guns. A particle build-up began to glow at the nose cone of his fighter.

The lieutenant colonel cruised at low velocity through the hanger. His targeting computer displayed a large yellowish-green marker over a tall flat bulkhead at the far end of the hanger.

Bill fired a charged shot into the wall, blasting it open. Beyond was an enormous conduit leading into the heart of the massive carrier.

"God, to have so much un-used room in a ship this size – it makes no sense!"

The CAG, still flying outside the carrier, said, "Sir, it's probably to vent heat from the core. The core likely has several shafts like that one, and, in an emergency, like a critical overload, the skipper could vent heat into the hanger as a last resort, channeling a core reaction away from the crew quarters and bridge."

Bill blinked. "Jeeze, Arthur, how do you know so much about carrier design?"

"Because my brother-in-law builds yachts for Zerda. I used to work for him, too, but after the battle of Westtown, the very same fight that you claim Fara Phoenix sacrificed her Arwing to save, I joined the academy, and went into the Air Guard."

"Small world," Bill murmured to himself. His eyes shifted left to right, taking in the enormous shaft that stretched out before his fighter. "My God, this thing is enormous. I'm about one-fifth of the way into the conduit."

The CAG grimaced. "They're spooling up their FTL drive, Grey."

"All right. I'm increasing speed," Bill replied. He eased into the throttle bar.

"Lieutenant Colonel, if the skipper of that ship decided to…"

"Major, he's already decided. How much time do I have, CAG?"

"I don't know! If their hardware spools up for an FTL jump, you would be vaporized in that damned tube!"

Bill eased the throttle bar further. He eased the control stick a little port then starboard, avoiding blast breakers that jutted out into the tunnel. To Bill, it looked like ramps sticking out of the wall in the system's largest skateboard pipe. "I'm hurrying."

"I'm reading a large energy spike in the core. Their engines apparently spool up faster than a Cornerian cruiser."

Bill launched a dumb-fire missile into the bulkhead. It detonated long after his fighter zipped by, blowing a hole into the siding of the tube. "That'll slow'em down. If they use their FTL engines, the heat will get into another section of the ship. At the very least, the computer will end the sequence, and they'll have to start over by doing a manual override."

"You're right, Grey, the energy buildup readings have dropped. You bought yourself some time, but once they manually override it, you won't have that option again."

"There are hatches in here," said Grey. "They're open. You said you used to build ships – why would there be hatches inside of an energy dispersion conduit for an energy core?"

Arthur cleared his throat. "Because they dump cold air into the tube after using their FTL drive. They leave the hatches open until just before energy spooling is complete. Don't hit one of those hatches – they'll act like obstacles. Think of that chamber as a giant exhaust pipe, but without baffles."

"Yeah, figured that much." Bill moved his fighter left, then right, then up, and back down, avoiding random open hatch lids that jutted outward, in his way. "The tube is starting to get narrower, so I'm about two-thirds of the way to the core."

"Yeah, a muffler gets larger at the end of the exhaust pipe. Same principle for that conduit, Grey. You still have the option of turning around and getting the hell out of there."

"Yeah, no. If McCloud can do it, _I_ can do it. This isn't some piece-of-junk M-Class that I'm flying. I've got this."

"You're making me nervous, Grey. You're going to wind up joining Zerda's kid if you don't…"

Bill interrupted. "Ahem! I need to focus. It's becoming a tight fit in here."

"This was that rabbit's plan, wasn't it…"

Bill groaned. "Yes, Arthur, James Arthur! It was! And I'm backing the play! So, shh for a minute. We'll talk about what a stupid or brilliant idea this was when I've destroyed the core."

James Arthur groaned. "Okay, team, we need to buy him any time we can. Bravo, Charlie, start poking the bear. Hit the bridge with nova cluster bombs. Alpha and Delta, I want you to hammer the engine boosters at the aft section. Dive in, open fire, then retreat before you wind up as target practice for a turret. Got it? I'm going to start making runs on the turrets and pick them off the hull as quickly as I can."

Bill smiled. "By the book, eh, CAG?"

"Damn right, Grey."

"Work your magic, James Arthur. I'll see you guys again shortly. Your signal is starting to distort because I'm going into the shielded section. Nearly there. Wish me luck!" Bill exclaimed.

A split second later, green letters showed up along the top-front portion of Grey's canopy, reading, "_Comms signal lost!_"

Bill chuckled. "Good. No more arguing from him." He continued to evade the sections of the chamber that jutted inward, in his way. "Kind of genius, in a way, these unintentional defenses." Bill dodged another large metallic hatch lid.

A metal drone flew into the tube from one of the hatches up ahead. It matched his speed and began firing blasters at him, up ahead.

Bill laughed. "It's about time they tried providing a challenge!" He glanced at his sensor readout. He was nearly to the core. "Almost," he mouthed with a grin.

The '_Comms signal lost!_' warning briefly disappeared from his HUD, due to pilots being just outside of the cap-ship, on the other side of the armored hull plating that separated Bill from space.

Bill could feel his heart pounding in his chest. It felt like it was at the base of his throat. He steered clear of another set of hatches. It took him back to the old days, fighting alongside McCloud in the Lylat War.

He chuckled under his breath. "The hatches are open."

"Come again?" asked a female pilot over comms.

Bill cringed with a chuckle. "Nothing. Inside joke. Between me and McCloud, back in the war. I've always wanted to do the crap he does just to prove that any pilot worth his weight in salt can pull it off. I'm probably, I dunno, deflecting or something. I talk when I'm nervous, which isn't often. Not nervous about getting it wrong – just nervous about…" He trailed off.

She replied, "You're nervous about how many underaged girls are going to ask for a signature in an inappropriate place?"

Bill chuckled. "Activate imagination, Captain."

"Oh, does my ID show as captain on your side, sir? I was recently busted down to Lieutenant. Heh. So, what're you going to do about all those girls who want your autograph?"

Bill chuckled. "Obviously I'm going to have to break all their hearts and tell them to wait until they're 18. But, since all of them will have older sisters, I'll make do, Lieutenant."

"Now who is the one with that active imagination, Lieutenant Colonel?"

"Yeah. Today, I guess it's me." Bill spied the drone in his rearview HUD display, and eyed it. He aimed his ship for one of the hatches that were open into the core pipeline, then cut to the port and hit his brakes.

When the drone came up alongside of him, he used his fuselage to give the drone a bit of a bump. It went careening into the hatch, forcing the hatch shut, and destroying the drone with a fiery explosion.

Bill smirked. "Almost there … almost…"

"Losing your signal, Lieutenant Colonel. You're at the edge of my range, sir." Her voice was laced with static.

Bill couldn't help but feel the voice was familiar, but he couldn't place it.

His HUD displayed '_Comms Signal Lost_' again.

Another drone entered the pipeline through one of the hatches. It opened fire immediately, but its initial blaster volley was absorbed by Bill's shields.

Bill eyed a narrow gap up ahead. He lined up his ship by centering the targeting reticle on his HUD, to the best of his ability, and said a silent prayer to Goddess Lylat. "May the leader of the pantheon of the _old gods_ guide and steady my paws."

He held his breath and passed through the narrow space so closely that he sheered the red and green strobe lights from the tips of his stabilizing wings.

The transfer of kinetic energy from barely touching the sides caused his fighter to go into a slow spin-out, but he recovered by powering into the flat spin.

When his ship came out of the brief Frisbee spin, he was facing the core, which spun around him, causing his ship to seemingly hover in a way.

The drone came through the narrow gap, brushed one of the sides hard enough to widen the hole, then it lost power and skipped across the bottom of the core room, like a stone on a pond, and exploded against the far wall.

Bill exhaled with a sigh of relief. "God, this is like the Rotor or the Gravitron from the carnival when I was a kid."

The spinning room caused the debris from the drone to slide up against the wall, becoming pinned by centrifugal forces. All the electricity flowing through the room caused Bill to hover.

Even inside the cockpit, loose strands of fur floated in front of him from static electricity.

He tapped the maneuvering thrusters, causing his ship to strafe from port to starboard. He lined up his ship's guns on the core and opened fire.

Counter measures and defensive weaponry opened fire, outward, sending arcs of raw energy into the siding.

One bolt of lightning forked in a way that narrowly avoided Bill's left stabilizing wing. By all accounts, it should have hit his ship, but the natural forking pattern caused it to avoid his wing by a distance too close to seem realistic. It was so close that Bill attributed the narrow miss to a higher power.

He continued to open fire on the core, followed by a smart missile and a Nova bomb.

An enormous crack split the ceiling. The broken chunks of metal were quickly sucked to the cylindrical wall, becoming pinned.

Bill tilted his ship, using its maneuvering thrusters, and lassoed his tractor beam around the drone's remains. He pulled it toward his ship, then flew to the starboard, circling the core, until the drone's tractor'ed fuselage struck the core.

The power supply for the drone immediately ruptured, followed by a small explosion.

Bill tapped his maneuvering thrusters, hovering back to the port until his ship was, for the most part, lined up with the venting hole he used to enter the core arena.

He opened his bomb bay doors, took a deep breath, and released _all_ of his remaining ordinance: two smart missiles and three Nova bombs.

The Nova Bombs waited until after both missiles struck the core. They floated to the center of the room, and all three went off in unison.

All the lighting inside the reactor went dead.

Bill reached for his exterior floodlamps switch, and flipped them all, lighting the interior of the reactor with omnidirectional white lamp lighting.

The core released a burst of energy, blasting his ship back, through the hole, which had been widened slightly by the drone, earlier.

His shields glowed bright from the way he skipped off the siding of the large exhaust pipeline.

The computer reacted faster than him, and righted his fighter, so that he faced the exit, with his engine exhaust facing the core, behind him.

He quickly realized that all the hatches had closed. His eyes widened with realization that the core was about to release all of its heat to avoid going super critical, and that closing the hatches meant it was going to vent the heat out into space at any moment.

"Aw crap!" Bill slammed the throttle bar forward. His ship's engines responded with a split second to build a reaction in the plasma particle combustion chamber, followed by a trail of blue light behind his ship.

The fighter rocketed forward, pinning him against the backrest of his seat. He thumbed the afterburn button on the side of the throttle bar, opening the boost.

A small warning graphic appeared in his HUD: '_Wide Open Throttle is never advised. Use caution, as loss of control and / or overheating may occur_!'

Behind him, the small port widened on one side, but the other side, which was struck by the tips of his wings, and by the drone, remained stuck in place. A loud warning tone rang out, due to being unable to open the ventilation port all the way.

"Okay," Bill said to himself. "The port is trying to open all the way in preparation of venting a massive amount of heat from the core, which is approaching critical status. That's how it works," he told himself. "But it's partially damaged."

Bill reached his left paw to the touch screen interface on his dash, and he manipulated his power settings. He moved his weapons energy over to his engines, as well as energy from his front-shields, and all reserve energy, stored in the batteries for emergency purposes.

The engines screamed at maximum output.

The '_Comms signal lost_' warning disappeared from his HUD, showing low reception with other nearby ships, just outside of the cap-ship.

Bill shouted, "Flank speed ahead! Clear a path, pilots, I'm on my way out!"

"We're on it, Lieutenant Colonel!" The voice belonged to James Arthur, who had assumed command of the super squadron in Bill's absence.

"The tunnel has moved along the bottom of the ship, so that it's pointed directly out into space, like a giant booster!"

Bill chuckled nervously. "Well … at least I won't have to fly through the hanger! Look at the bright side, right?" As an afterthought, he said, "Keep Venom forces away from the exit, boys! I don't wanna be ambushed when I come out of the exhaust!"

Arthur barked back, "Just get the hell out of there alive!"

"Lylat willing," Bill whispered.

The siding of the massive exhaust chamber appeared as a blur in the lighting of his floodlamps. The closed hatches were slightly discolored flashes in passing.

Bill flipped another switch on the dash, opening a rear-cargo panel. He deployed a handful of mines in his wake.

"I'm dropping some explosives, so when this thing becomes a volcano, it won't be contained the way it was designed. With any luck, it will damage the ship to the point it won't be a threat anymore."

"Remote magnetize them, boss! Put holes in the siding! It'll cause the energy release to be vented _into the cap ship_!" The advice came from the female pilot he spoke to earlier. The one with the familiar voice.

Bill's eyes widened. He tapped the screen, and marked a small check box, next to the option for the mines, so that they became magnetized.

The mines quickly moved to the sides of the tunnel and latched on to the metallic walling.

"Stick'em to the bulkheads! Yeah, great idea, pilot!"

"I have my moments," she replied with a light chuckle.

Bill glanced at his rearview camera feed and noticed a brilliant glow behind him. It was so bright that it caused distortion in the monitor. The distortion was followed by image artifacts showing in various places around the small screen.

The rear monitor began to distort heavily from heat.

Bill imagined the rear lens was bubbling up, likely melting on the spot.

A warning on his HUD showed that his rear shields were dropping rapidly from thermal thresholds being exceeded.

Bill turned about in his chair, stressing his harness belt. He squinted at the sight of the paint bubbling on his wings. "Crap," he muttered. "Guys, my sensors are acting up. Does anyone know how much further I am from the end of this thing?"

"Almost there, Lieutenant Colonel!" The voice belonged to the familiar female. "Just keep'er steady! It's about to explode! When you get clear, cut hard, and get clear of the line of fire that's going to follow you out!"

"Will do," Bill replied. He watched the flashes in his rear monitor, from where the mines exploded. They blew massive holes in the siding of the exhaust chamber. The liquid light followed him, gaining on his ship.

"_Warning_!" The computer exclaimed. "_Thermal threshold is double the tested parameters_!"

"Ah, shaddaup, ya bitching Betty," Bill groused.

"_Warning! Space Dynamics Warranty has now been voided! Safety seals now compromised_!"

Another symbol showed up on Bill's HUD, with a red circle and a slash over the word 'Eject.'

Bill glanced down at the ejection handle between his legs, which glowed red, as if to suggest the option had been disabled.

Various alarms blended together in a cacophony of discordant tones, competing with one another for Bill's attention.

The opening of the tunnel twinkled up ahead from a distant space battle raging just beyond the exit of the tunnel.

A computer graphic on Bill's HUD displayed '_Exit in meters:_' but the numbers were rolling backwards too fast to see the count. It was less than a thousand, and in the blink of an eye, the hundred mark reached zero. Less than ninety-nine meters left.

Bill lifted his gaze just in time to see the exit port ahead. He took a deep breath and tightened his right paw on the control stick.

Grey's fighter screamed through the exit. Bill slammed the control stick to the port for a split second, then centered it. With the change of heading, the core eruption vented into space, tearing through a squadron of enemy fighters. The enemy ships exploded on the spot, melting the Venom pilots and their ships in an instant.

Bill cut back to the starboard, coming parallel to the long blast of fire that roared into space. Plasma lightning flickered around the immense lengthy cone of flame.

"Sweet Lylat," Bill breathed.

"This is Arthur – everyone form-up around Lieutenant Colonel Grey and protect his damaged fighter. Wing Commanders of Alpha and Delta, I want you two to switch to fire damage control. I want you guys to get close and douse his fighter in _Compound B-60_. That should mitigate the fire on the back of his stabilizers and engine compartment."

Bill gawked. "I'm on fire?!"

"There's a plasma fire; it's fueled by electricity being fed to your armored plating. The plating is turning to liquid metal. If we don't stop it, it will melt through to the fuselage. Your wingtips are also on fire," said Arthur.

"I bet I look amazing."

"This isn't a damn airshow, boss! Fire shouldn't exist in space, which means this is a plasma burn and it's eating through your tail!" Arthur cleared his throat, adding, "Alpha and Delta, move into positions! Get ready to release the B-60 solution on my mark!"

Two fighters moved near Bill.

"Now!" shouted the CAG. "Everyone else, form up and create a protective detail around his ship! Wing Commanders for Bravo and Charlie, move ahead of the group and take up escort detail! I'm sending out coordinates where we can regroup away from this cap-ship! We need to put some distance between ourselves and their flight hangers before the next wave of fighters is launched!"

Without warning, the capital ship erupted with a flash of silence. A shockwave followed, throwing all the fighters in the area.

One fighter from Charlie clipped a heavily damaged fighter from Alpha, causing the Alpha ship to explode. The Charlie fighter regained attitude and got into formation.

"Jones ejected!" Arthur barked. "Someone, quick, pick him up! Use a tractor beam; put his ejection pod into your ordinance bay! Who here, besides Grey, has an empty hold? We need to work together and get Jones' pod in an ordinance bay! It'll be snug, so you boys and girls need to work together to get Jones in there without damaging the fighter or the pod! Who has steady hands or paws!?"

"I've got it, sir!" The voice belonged to a woman from Bravo. Her HUD marker showed 'captain.' Her signal was clearer than before.

Bill recognized the Bravo pilot's voice. It sounded _so familiar_, but he just couldn't place it at the moment.

Arthur sighed softly. "Not _you_, lieutenant!"

"But, sir!"

"No!" Arthur barked. "You're only here because of a clerical error, Lynx."

"Sir, I can do this. We can beef later, when Jones is _safe_, and we get our tails out of the shit-storm we're in."

"Language, Lynx!"

"Really, sir?! Let me deflect in my way, while I save that man."

Bill Grey perked his ears. "God," he whispered to himself. "I _know_ I recognize that voice. Why can't I place it?"

Arthur snapped at the Bravo pilot. "This is why I didn't want you on the team, Lynx. You argue with everyone in a position of authority, goddammit."

"Yeah, well, I'm not apologizing for complaining or voicing my opinions. What _you_ fail to acknowledge, Major, sir, is that I have followed all my orders. I was just vocal with overly tonal ones that I didn't like."

"Lynx, you're dismissed. Get the hell back and join the perimeter group."

Bill snapped his fingers a few times, trying to remember where he knew the voice. "Lynx, Lynx … who do I know with that surname?"

Lieutenant Lynx continued her argument with the CAG. "Sir, you said you need someone who can do this, someone who has an empty ordinance bay, and someone who has steady hands. Well, these paws are steady enough for sniping."

"You're not patient enough to be a sniper," Arthur quipped.

"Yeah, well my paws are steady enough, patience or not. They're certainly steady enough for _this job_."

Arthur sighed in aggravation, but he didn't say anything this time.

The Bravo pilot took a deep breath of her own, exhaled slow and calm, and said, "All right, I need a hole, everyone. I'm coming into the circle and I'm going to snag Jones' ejection pod. This is where it gets a little tricky! So, I'm going to line him up, then I'm going to guide my fighter down, and I'm going to swallow the pod. I need reliable eyes on my ship's belly. Jones, if you're listening, I'm going to need you to tell me what you're seeing from your vantage point."

Silence.

The female pilot grunted in annoyance. "Don't all volunteer at once."

Bill's eyes widened with realization. "Miyu?!"

"Yeah, Bill, it's me."

Arthur groaned. "Be a goddamn professional for once in your life, Lynx!"

"Fine. Yeah, _Lieutenant Colonel Grey_, it's me."

Bill chuckled inwardly. "James Arthur, give her the space she wants. She really does have the paws of a surgeon. I know Miyu Lynx from way back. She can do this."

The CAG muttered. "We don't see eye to eye. She's here by accident; she's supposed to be banned from flying, due to pending litigation."

"Wrong," said Miyu. Then, as an afterthought, she added, "Respectfully, sir, you're wrong. I was cleared of the lawsuit that grounded me. I was found innocent."

"Yes, Lynx, you were, but the person suing you filed an appeal, and since this lawsuit has direct bearing on your flying, you should be grounded until after you are cleared in the court of appeals."

Miyu ground her teeth together. "Sir, with all due respect, the paperwork was _filed_, but the court has not _officially granted_ the appeal because it's a weekend. So, please, sir, let me save that pilot's life."

"I want that pilot saved!" Arthur exclaimed. "But I don't know if I can trust _you_ to do it. You were supposed to have been transferred out of Bravo before this mission!"

"Yes, sir, but the paperwork didn't have all the proper signatures. Whoever wanted me out didn't know how to do their job, but _I_ know how to do _mine_. I promised I'd stay out of the way during this operation. And I did. Until now. Because, goddammit, lawsuit or not, Jones needs me!"

"Jones can't stand you! He's the reason you're being sued to begin with! Letting you interfere with him, directly, will influence the result in the outcome of your case."

Bill sighed, immediately annoyed with the situation. "Arthur, please. Let her do this. She can do this. She has problems with authority, but she's got _this_."

James Arthur sighed. "Sir, with all due respect…"

"Major, let her do this. She's the only one that has an empty ordinance bay, besides me. But I'm too damaged for this job."

"Sir," said Miyu, "I've got this, Major Arthur."

"I believe in her," said Grey.

"You're the ranking pilot, Lieutenant Colonel, so…" James Arthur trailed off into a firm sigh of agitation. "Okay, everyone heard the man – give Lynx some space to work. I'll be your eyes, Lieutenant Lynx. Everyone else, fan out and defend the four of us. Jones, Lynx, and Grey are the priorities, though. Break and Defend."

Miyu sounded giddy. "Jones! You awake?! If so, respond! I see your vitals on my screen, but I need to hear from you!"

Silence.

"C'mon! Don't be sour about getting your tail saved by the chick you're suing! Let's put that behind us and get you out of hot water! I need feedback from you, because you'll be seeing my ordinance bay from a unique angle! What'cha say? Same team?"

Silence.

A sour expression crossed Grey's muzzle. He moved in a bit closer and squinted. "Hey, Lieutenant, from my angle, it looks like his comms unit is damaged on the ejection pod."

"Oh." Miyu chuckled inwardly. "Well, damn, that sucks. Okay, well … Jones, if you can hear me, I'm not saving you because I feel guilty about our disagreement. I'm saving you because it's my job."

No one spoke.

Miyu moved her ship about and captured Jones' ejection pod with a tractor beam. "Okay. Now for the hard part. But I have an idea."

Bill watched the fighter move slow with the ejection pod beneath. The fighter's ordinance bay opened – it was as empty as promised. A weapons' rack ejected from the bottom, leaving a large rectangular space in the bottom of her fighter.

"Okay now…" Miyu whispered over the open comms.

Bill cleared his throat and asked, "Mind sharing your idea?"

"Well, without Jones' feedback, Bill, there's no way I can rely on anyone to give me the right information to make minute changes. He's floating, and if he so much as shifts his body, it _might_ cause roll or shift that would mess up my work."

"Go on. What's your idea?"

"I need to put him down, then hover over his pod, and land upon it. That's the only way I'm sure…"

"Miyu, wait…" Bill cleared his throat, staying beneath her fighter at an angle. "If the object you set him on moves…"

"No, with large objects, I can eye the object and move with it. I need to sit him down on something. Without his comms line open, it's the safest way."

Bill looked around at exploding enemies, the burning capital ship, a distant satellite, smoldering in a decaying orbit over Venom, and enemy fighter squads in the distance. "We don't have anything you can land on!"

"That Cap Ship is dead in the water, sir. It's perfect."

"It's on fire! It could blow up if its engines go critical!"

Miyu replied, "We have time. My ship's computer can plot the trajectory of its attitude, and help me to match it. I'll set him down on the outer hull, then hover his pod, settle down on him, and use my tractor beam to push against the hull, while using my maneuvering thrusters to stay with it. It will be enough to push the ship a fraction of a degree, which will put a few inches between it and the pod. They will drift apart, and I'll be able to close my bay doors beneath Jones' pod."

"Incoming!" someone shouted on the comms. Someone from Charlie squadron. "Reinforcements are coming inbound from the planet's surface! We've got six squadrons! Medium and heavy fighters! Each has two escort fighters! Stay sharp!"

Miyu groaned. "Okay, we're out of time. We do it the original way."

Bill frowned. "Agreed."

"Agreed," James Arthur repeated. "This is a goddamn nightmare. I see them – they're coming this way."

"Keep'em off me, Arthur," said Miyu.

"Don't tell me how to do my job, Lynx." After a brief pause, Arthur announced, "Those are war-model Wolfen II's! They're immune against charged shots, Nova bombs, and smart missiles! The shields are specifically designed to absorb those attacks! We can't fight _those_!"

Bill blinked. He reached up and pinch-zoomed on the canopy HUD glass. "I haven't seen Wolfens in person since Katina … since the war. I didn't know there were any left in service!"

"Fall back," Arthur exclaimed. "They're coming right for us!"

"What!?" Bill's jaw dropped. "Are you serious?! We outnumber them almost four to one!"

"They're considered _weapons of mass destruction_ for a goddamn reason, Lieutenant Colonel! We'll lose the entire team trying to save one pilot! Get the hell out of here, Lynx, the rescue is scrapped!"

"James Arthur, just give her five minutes!"

"With all due respect, Lieutenant Colonel Grey, I'm the CAG because I bring my pilots home. But you're talking about _one pilot_ against fifteen others, and yourself. That's an unacceptable loss. I will cover your retreat. We'll regroup on the carrier, then we'll let the skipper decide how best to proceed with our assault on Venom!

Miyu groaned. "God, Jim, I'm glad I'm not the one in the pod. You'd have cut and run on me long before…"

"That's goddamn _Star Wolf_, Lynx! Stand down and return to base!"

Miyu grit her teeth. "Negative! That is _not_ Star Wolf! They don't fly the Wolfen II's anymore, and they don't operate out of Venom airspace anymore! It's just some pilots flying old Wolfen II's."

"Doesn't matter! Those ships aren't even allowed to be used in operation because they're weapons of war that have been banned by…"

Miyu interrupted her commanding officer. "Jim, get a hold of yourself! I _volunteer_ to stay behind and grab Jones. _You_ get Bill out of here; get the boys back to the barn, so you can regroup and rearm! Send _Search and Rescue_ for me if you don't hear from me."

"Goddammit, Lynx, there _won't_ _be_ any S&R in an active warzone!"

"So, finish the job, _then_ look for me! Let me save this damn kid!"

What is your issue with arguing with superiors, Lynx?! He filed a _lawsuit against you_ that nearly cost you your pilot's license! Then he filed an appeal to get you off this mission! His brother was the next on the goddamn roster and would have taken your place. He and his brother wanted to do this together, because if we're successful, everyone here will be celebrities."

Miyu burst into laughter. "Go home, Jim. Get Jones' brother. I have an entitled pilot to save." She cleared her throat and her tone relaxed a bit. "Bill, it was good flying with you again. Good work on the Cap Ship."

"I'm not going anywhere," said Grey. "If Fox McCloud can shoot down all four of those ships over Venom…" Bill shook his head. He reached up and pinch-zoomed on the canopy glass again, watching the approaching Wolfen II's. "And you've flown for Fox. You know he's not some sort of god in the cockpit. He's just a good pilot and he flies with good wing mates."

Miyu chuckled. "You want to tangle with those things? Shit, that sounds exciting, not gonna lie." She beamed over the comms feed. "I'm down to party."

Bill exhaled. "Okay, new plan! Arthur, I want you to tractor Jones' pod back to the carrier. It will slow you down, so have the rest of the multi-squadron cover you. Come back with reinforcements. Miyu and I will cover your escape by putting these Wolfen II's out of commission. Then come back, refuel us, and we'll worry about the rest of the Venom offensive when you get back."

"My God, Lieutenant Colonel, are you sure?"

"I'm _sure_. We'll be fine. Miyu and I will buy you some time. Now hurry the hell up."

James Arthur overturned his fighter and engaged his tractor beam. He snagged the ejection pod from Miyu and hit the boost. "Okay, pilots, form up on me, and get me back to the carrier with this pilot. I'll allow up to _two volunteers _to join the fight against the Wolfens."

_No one_ broke formation. Instead, the other fighters tightened their positions around James Arthur's ship. The entire group went into immediate battle against light fighters and a handful of mediums that were inbound from the damaged hanger of the Cap Ship.

One of the Wolften IIs changed direction.

The other three Wolfens came around and headed for Bill and Miyu.

Bill pulled Miyu's visual up on his dash. "Good God, Miyu, you've not aged a day."

"Aw, you opened holo-chat just to compliment me?"

Bill chuckled and shook his head. "No, I wanted to ask … are you ready for this? I mean, are you _sure_ you're ready for this?"

"What, you mean being a target so that the others can get back to the nest? Yeah. Let's engage them before they go after the group."

"It's me they want," said Bill with a chuckle. "I'm the ranking CO out here, and this offensive is mine. I should be on a bridge because I just finished peace negotiations in downtown Shray-Lek, but then I saw the big cap-ship was recalled from Sauria. I needed to handle this myself. I had something to prove, I guess."

"Bill, you are a typical dog. I swear. You have _nothing_ to prove with Fox McCloud."

"You didn't fly for him very long, Miyu."

"Yeah, so? What's that supposed to mean, Bill?"

Grey chuckled. "No offense, but I knew him better than you. I'm not trying to prove myself _to him_. I'm trying to prove to _myself_ that I'm everything he is in a cockpit."

Miyu scoffed. "Well, I disagree that you knew him better than me." She closed her ordinance bay doors, then hit the boost and headed for the incoming three Wolfen II fighters. "Unless you know what his junk looks like. _Do you_, Bill? Do you know what his junk looks like?"

James Arthur, growing further and further away from Bill and Miyu, shouted over his comms. "Enough, Lynx! The audio patch is still open, and you're being inappropriate and unprofessional!"

Miyu ignored the CAG. "Well, Bill? Did you? That's what I thought. Didn't think so."

Bill chuckled with a shrug. "I mean, we had to share showers in the academy, so, yeah. Actually, I did."

Miyu giggled in a high-pitched squeal. "Okay, fine, well, _I_ know what his junk _feels like_. My point is, I know him _really_ well. Trust me when I tell you that he already respects you as a pilot. He just resents the fact you turned down his offer to join Star Fox back before any of this mess started."

Bill sighed. He watched her fighter go into an immediate loop, tangling with one of the three remaining heavy fighters up ahead.

"C'mon, Bill! I heard that! Don't be upset! You're a rules and regulations kind of guy! I know you pretty well, too! You're not the mercenary kind of guy."

Bill cut hard to port, punched his boost, then he killed the throttle and slammed his stick back to starboard, so that his ship went sliding sideways through the cosmos. He opened fire on one of the Wolfens in passing. There was a direct hit, but their shields didn't register any damage. "What the hell?! It's not hurting them!"

Meanwhile, Miyu twisted about with one of the fighters, avoiding its blaster fire. She rolled and swooped about, evading one attacker, while zeroing in on another. She charged her blaster shot, causing a glow in front of her fighter.

"What are you doing, Miyu?! You heard Arthur! Those ships are immune to charged shots!"

"Yeah, but blasters aren't working on these guys, either. That means newer shielding. So, watch and learn." She released the charged shot.

The glowing ball of plasma struck the Wolfen II, throwing it through the inky void. The fighter slammed into another Wolfen II in passing, damaging both slightly.

Miyu opened fire on both, striking the two ships with her standard blasters. Her ships guns managed to register damage on their shields. "Ha! Woo! See that?! I threw them into one another, now they take standard blaster fire damage!"

"That third one hasn't been damaged yet. His shields won't take damage," said Bill. He looped about, avoiding enemy fire.

Miyu hit her boost and swooped around. She glanced her shields off of the shields of the third Wolfen engaged in the dogfight. It forced the fighter to bounced away. His shielding field changed from a light translucent blue to a light translucent yellow. She pulled away and hit the boost again. "HE-YAHHH! That's how it's done!"

"You just brought your shields down to eighty percent, Miyu!"

"Yeah, but it worked, didn't it? Now, let's shoot down these shitty excuses for Star Wolf wannabe pilots. I've had enough. I wanna get back and see Jones' face when he finds out _I_ saved his tail, heh-heh."

Bill came about and opened fire on a Wolfen from above. He laid into their shields, but he was also able to see the pilot inside the canopy. "That's _not_ Star Wolf."

"No crap," Miyu snapped. "I literally just said that. You think Wolf O'Donnell scares me? Hell no. He's just a big-dicked fighter jock. Stay to his port side, in his blind spot, and he becomes an average pilot."

"Good God, Miyu, have you slept with him, too?!"

Miyu scoffed with a sarcastic chuckle. "No. I was in the academy with Panther Caroso. Same graduating class. Pretty sure he's bi, by the way. Met O'Donnell through Caroso when we caught up years later, after the war."

Bill jerked back on the flight stick and hit the throttle, narrowly avoiding a charged shot from one of the Wolfens. "Okay, well, so long as you've never slept with O'Donnell."

"God, no. No interest in lupine men. Been with Panther once, though."

Bill choked on his own breath. "You _what_?! He's wanted for war crimes, too!"

"Yeah, but who helped Lylat against the Aparoids? Who helped Corneria? I was fighting on the ground during that mess, but I saw what happened. So, yeah, I had a one-night stand with a bad boy. But he's not a bad man."

"So how the hell do you know Wolf is big?"

Miyu shot back, "What is John C. Pepper's middle name?"

"Okay, fine. John Cornelius Pepper. So, how do you know Wolf is '_large_' if you haven't slept with him."

Miyu laughed softly. "Because _Panther_ said he was."

"God, have _those two_ banged?"

Miyu laughed again, followed by a half shrug. "Beats me! I mean, I don't _think_ so. Wolf sure doesn't seem like the kind of guy to be interested in Panther, but you never know! But, no, Panther told me they were irradiated due to getting their paws on radioactive metals. They had to destroy their clothes and share adjoining detox shower stalls."

"Oh."

Miyu continued. "Anyway, men who are obsessed with their own dick size, like Panther and Wolf, are the same kinds of guys who are constantly trying to prove themselves, because they secretly crave validation. They act like the source of their powers comes from their dick. Just like O'Donnell's personality. Now, are you going to shoot these damn things down or do I have to do everything around here?"

Bill looked up in time to see Miyu tear through the engine boosters of a Wolfen, sending it into a spiral. The powerless ship flew off into the Venom atmosphere and plunged into the ionosphere. A red glow surrounded the ship, then it disappeared from view.

Miyu roared, "Yeah, baby! That's what I'm talking about!" Her high-pitched squeal of delight was, if nothing else, amusing to hear.

"Is that your victory roar? Sounds more like a squeak."

"Ah, shaddaup and fight, Bill! I might leave you one of these things to kill if I'm feeling charitable."

Bill laughed. He came around and fell behind a passing Wolfen. He opened fire, chewing into its rear shields, bringing the force field down to about sixty-percent power.

The Wolfen pulled up and punched its throttle.

"Remember, Miyu, they can't pull nearly as tight of a loop as our fighters. Even in the vacuum of space. At least not the II's. They fly wide from the maneuvering thrusters being mounted to their poorly placed wings."

"You act like this is my first time taking down a Wolfen II. C'mon. I flew for Star Fox. Let's put these pilots down and go after the one that's trying to hunt our people. We're running out of time with these fools."

Bill grinned. "You can fly on my wing anytime, Miyu." He pulled back on his stick, chasing the Wolfen before its shields could replenish themselves.

"Aw, aren't you sweet! Now, let's do the job, babe! Woo!"

"Yeah, something like that." He climbed a tighter loop, meeting the Wolfen at the end of its loop, but from above it.

The pilot looked up and met Bill's gaze. Inside was a Venomian lizard, with its gloved hands wrapped tightly around the controls. He lifted his hand from the throttle bar and gave Grey the middle finger, a distinctly Cornerian gesture adopted by Venom lizards to taunt Cornerians during the war.

Bill took his left hand off the throttle, saluted the lizard, who knew he'd been beat, and pressed his right thumb on the guns button.

The Wolfen's shields held out far longer than Bill would've liked.

"This is for flipping me off…" Bill's standard issue fighter's nosecone pressed up against the Wolfen's tailfin with a feather-soft touch. The Wolfen's tailfin buckled, the shields flickered and glowed from the Cornerian fighter's hull passing through the field.

"He gave you the finger?!"

Bill continued to mash down on the main guns. "Yup." Grey swiped his thumb from left to right, causing the button atop the control stick to flip. The button rolled over beneath his thumb, on a hinge, so that a blue button replaced the red one.

"Switching to Mass Driver Cannons," Bill announced, and continued firing.

The rounds plunged into the Wolfen's armored plating. Pieces of metal flew off the top, struck Bill's canopy, and left scratches on his synth-glass dome.

"In Venomian languages, the middle finger means '_brother_' or something. He must know enough Cornerian to also understand our sign language."

"Or just that one gesture," Bill replied. "He doesn't have long, though."

The two fighters, grinding up against one another, slowly grew apart with the Wolfen's powerful engines pushing the heavy fighter through the last arc of the loop. He began to gain distance between himself and Bill's Cornerian ship.

Bill continued to hammer the top of the Wolfen until it evened out enough that its rear section was presented to Bill's targeting reticle.

Bill's mass drivers continued to spit heavy mass projectiles into the rear shields. The shields gave out, and some of his rounds struck the armored plating around the rear boosters.

The Wolfen rotated with its maneuvering thrusters until it swiveled around, presenting its front-facing shields to Bill. A particle build-up began glowing in front of its nosecone.

"Bill! He's gonna…!"

Bill hit the boost and mashed his fingers down on the missile trigger. His fighter lurched forward, so that the ordinance bay doors scraped the cockpit of the Wolfen.

Bill's smart missile dropped down and fired in passing, so that it hit the cockpit of the Wolfen in an instant. The warhead erupted immediately, throwing Bill's fighter away from the Wolfen.

Grey spiraled through the inky void; the world spun around him.

"Bill! Holy-effing-Lylat!"

Bill hit his boost again, powering out of the spin, then he mashed down on his retro reverse rockets. All of his maneuvering thrusters fired at the same time, and he came to a rather jarring stop.

He craned his neck and arched his back, peering over the side of his cockpit portside walling. He watched the Wolfen, a little way's below, erupt into plasma fire, inside the cockpit. The canopy was gone. The pilot's remains, broken and in pieces, were frozen chunks of singed meat.

Part of the seatbelt harness was cooked to the front of the pilot's flight suit, over the torso. Only one leg was still attached. The other limbs were missing or short stumps from the concussive force.

Bill exhaled in relief. He cut his gaze back to his instruments, eyeing the damage report to the belly of his fighter. A message in orange was displayed across his HUD, reading, '_Damaged Ordinance Bay Doors. Press any key to perform an emergency ejection of (1) remaining Nova Bomb_…'

"Okay, Miyu, I've got one Nova left and I need to dump it. I have a plan. We can use it to blind that third Wolfen. Then, do your thing."

"He's behind me. I'm going to blink when you tell me, and then I'll break into a loop. Ready?"

Bill looked around. He spotted two distant dots tailing one another. "I see you!"

"Good! Let's do this!"

He hit the boost, approached the two fighters from their left, and said, "Okay! Nova Bomb's away!"

"Got it!" Miyu shut her eyes, hit the boost, and pulled back on her flight stick.

The Nova Bomb went off with a flash.

Bill's canopy briefly polarized to shield his eyes from the bright rays. It cleared again.

The Wolfen had pulled up, but it continued in a forty-five-degree angle upward.

Miyu came out of her loop and came up beneath the Wolfen's belly. She opened fire, switching between blasters and mass drivers until she punched a hole through the Wolfen's shields. Seconds later, her rounds ripped into the armored belly of the Wolfen. It didn't last long. She fired faster than the enemy pilot could think.

In an instant, the Wolfen exploded.

Miyu kept firing as she flew into the debris cloud, emerging with a victorious aileron roll. "Woohoo!" she cheered. Before even finishing her shout, she cut her heading back toward the retreating fleet.

Bill saw her heading change. "Okay, almost done. Let's punch it!"

"Aren't you damaged?"

"My bay doors were blown clear off. That's why I had to dump my last Nova Bomb. I'm fine. Won't be able to land, though."

"You're _not_ fine," she replied in a flat tone. "Your shield generators for the bottom of these ships? They're located in the ordinance bay. According to _my_ sensors, you have no shielding beneath your ship."

"I'm the ranking pilot. I'm coming with you. Now, let's go!"

"Dammit, Bill, do you _know_ how awkward it would be to see Fox McCloud at your funeral? I'm not trying to meet his pretty little side-piece."

"Whoa, you have something against Krystal?"

"What?! Me? No! I'm sure she's cool … for an _alien_. But I'm not trying to be approached by my 'famous Ex' and his 'Femalian' babe. No. No thank you. You'd better stay alive."

"Eh, you have nothing to worry about. Fox is liable to push that girl right off the team. He blames himself for what happened to Fara, and he is terrified of doing it again. Trust me. I know that boy. He's confident about fighting, sure, but he's insecure as hell when it comes to relationships."

Miyu formed up on Bill's wing, taking a defensive position to protect him as they closed on the distant squadron of fighters up ahead. She sighed over comms. "Yeah. I warned him about that."

"You did?"

"I broke up with him because he wasn't over Fara."

"Miyu, I mean that he'll sideline Krystal to keep her safe. I'm a good judge of character – I can read people. Krystal will resent him for it."

"You think so?" Miyu blew soft raspberries over her lower lip. "He didn't sideline _me_. I mean, he acted a bit nervous when I was in the cockpit, but not like _that_."

"If you gave it time, he would have gone down that road with you," said Bill. "Was it weird? Right after Fara's passing?"

Miyu sighed. "I need a couple of beers if we're going to talk about this. But, uh … I mean, like, things were complicated physically, but I'm the one that left. He needed to get over Phoenix first, else he was doomed to hurt anyone he tried dating."

"Okay, first two rounds are on me when we land. First thing's first, though … we're catching up on the group. That Wolfen is already closing in on the group. He's nearly in range to try and pick off pilots. He's approaching James Arthur at the center of the group. Can't let that happen."

"Yeah, no crap. You gonna tie me for Wolfen kills today, or am I going to have a three-to-one ratio lead over you?"

"Game on," said Bill with a grin.

"Good. And I'm holding you to those drinks when we land."

"I'm holding you to drinking it. But I refuse for this to become a thing where we talk about Star Fox's leader. So, you'll dish, I'll dish, then we'll talk about how much better our lives are flying for the Air Guard."

"Better living conditions, better health insurance, better nights and weekends…"

Bill chuckled. He glanced at his HUD readout. The two pilots were getting close. In the distant, the Cornerian carrier sparkled in the sunlight, partially hidden in the shade behind Venom's moon.

"Almost there!" Miyu said in a soft but excited tone. "Not much further."

Bill opened the frequency of his comms, and said, "Venom Wolfen. We've taken down your three wingmen. You're next."

A feminine voice came over the line in reply. "They were trainees," she sneered. "Do you know who I am?! I am an ace pilot and reputed commando!"

Miyu frowned. "Something familiar about her voice, but I can't place it."

"I _don't_ know who you are," said Bill to the Venom pilot. "Why don't you enlighten me."

"My name is Colonel Adler, and I will be your undoing! I am a legend in the Venom military, as both a soldier and as a pilot."

Bill opened his maw, but nothing came out.

Miyu gawked. "Adler?! The only Adler I know is a _dude_!"

"Not anymore, Mammal."

Miyu cleared her throat. "You're … transitioning?"

"You dare _judge me_? I thought Cornerians were 'woke' or whatever you call yourselves."

Miyu shook her head, seen only on Bill's HUD display. "No, Adler, I'm not judging your transition. It's cool. I'm just surprised you're still alive, after all the times that Star Fox kicked your scaly ass around Lylat. Look, honey, the war is over. Why don't we talk instead of fight? All your wingmen are gone. Venom's last cap-ship is a giant dumpster fire floating down a river, approaching a high waterfall."

"What?!"

Miyu scoffed. "I said the damn thing is in a decaying orbit over Venom. You're all that's left to hold the line. Let's just … call it quits, huh?"

Adler sighed in reply.

"Come on. I love shooting down Wolfens, but I don't want my boss to tie my record for today. How about we just talk. Woman to woman if you prefer."

The Wolfen pilot sighed again. "I retired from this lifestyle after the war ended. I didn't even want to be here. I was recalled when _your people_ attacked Venom."

"No," Bill chimed in. "We didn't _attack_. We came to liberate – you're the ones choosing to stay loyal to Andrew Oikonny. He's ruining your economy for God's sake."

Adler spoke in a softer, higher pitched voice than either Cornerian remembered of Adler in the past. "I have your CAG and wounded pilot in my sights. They're damaged. It wouldn't take but one missile to finish them both."

Miyu thought fast, then said, "Hey! How long have you been transitioning? Is it a recent thing, like an epiphany, or have you been considering this for a while?"

"I have _always_ been."

"Like, back when you went toe-to-toe with Star Fox, you were transitioning?" Miyu was trying to keep the subject on something she could use to bond with Adler. "I'm just curious."

"Yes. Reptiles do not have mammary glands, but the only drugs I could find to aid in my transition were those designed for Cornerian mammals. So, my armor was designed to handle the expanse of my mammalian-like chest growth. Very sensitive for a while. Is _that_ what you wanted to hear, mammal?"

Miyu sent her holographic feed to the Wolfen. "Look at my face. Do I look like I'm judging you for this? I'm proud of you for going through something so … complex."

"And why is that?"

"Because, well, I imagine that it takes staying power. I imagine it takes … deep commitment to follow through with something so … _life changing_. Am I right about that?"

Adler's image appeared on Miyu's HUD. "I … appreciate hearing you say these things to me. I am now post-op. Why are you asking about this?"

"Because I think it's awesome," said Miyu. "It takes motivation and dedication to get through the red tape and drama involved in transitioning. How long have you been post-op?"

"Not terribly long. A few years."

Miyu took her left paw off of her throttle bar and waved it about, using light-hearted hand gestures to talk to Adler. "Shoot. Sometimes, I wish _my_ vagina was that new." Miyu chuckled at her own backwards sense of humor, deflecting the absurdity of such a deep topic being discussed on a battlefield of all places. "You know, to be honest, all that hard work you had to endure…? It's inspiring. I imagine it's a _lot_ of work to be the version of yourself that you've always wanted to be."

"I … don't know what to say to that, mammal."

Miyu continued. "I'm just saying, I respect the journey. You know? It couldn't have been easy to bust your tail to become the woman you've always wanted to be."

"Lizards do not have mammalian breasts. But I used drugs designed genetically engineer my body, because Venom does not produce hormone therapy medication for sexual transition. So, now, I am a _freak_ because I have the bustline of a mammal female."

"Nah, that's awesome. It makes you unique. One-of-a-kind, girl!" Miyu cleared her throat, and, in a softer tone, added, "Please, lady, don't make me shoot you down. I'll feel like shit if I do. You deserve to be happy and wholesome. You've overcome your birth biology to be a woman, so that your body matched your heart, mind, and soul. Am I right?"

"I…" Adler exhaled and glanced away with an emotional expression.

Miyu noticed a shine in the lizard's eyes, even over the holographic feed. Her smile softened, as did her voice. "Let's talk. You already said you retired from this life, right? It's over, girl. Let's all just walk away from this fight."

Adler sighed through clenched teeth. "I…"

Silence.

"We can all go home tonight, you know?"

"Not me. If I don't come home with all of your heads, literally and figuratively, then I cannot return to Venom."

"So, move to Corneria."

Adler didn't reply.

Miyu finally caught up with Adler's ship. She moved into formation alongside of the last remaining Wolfen. "Hey, c'mon," said Miyu, adding, "Beers are on Bill Grey. The first two rounds. Corneria offers insurance to residence so that you can get a lifetime supply of the hormones you'll need. Does Andrew-friggin-Oikonny's regime cover _anything_?"

"No…" Adler sighed again. She glanced away from the hologram, gazed out the window, and stared at Miyu over in the other cockpit.

Miyu cleared the polarization of her canopy glass and waved to the adjacent fighter. "Hey there."

Adler grimaced and said, "You … you're the lynx that dated Fox McCloud."

"Yeah. But that's all in the past. We didn't work out. Meh. To be honest, since you're being so open, I guess I should show some vulnerability too, huh?" She cleared her throat, followed by a half-hearted shrug. "My failed relationship with Fox is kinda … a sore subject for me. You know? I broke up with Fox. Maybe if I had tried to work things out, we could have become more. I don't know."

"Don't ever change yourself to maintain acceptance of your mate. If they do not accept you for who you are or who you become, then you were not meant to be together."

"Sounds like you're speaking from experience, hon." Miyu frowned.

"Mm."

The feline set her autopilot to mirror the adjacent Wolfen. She lifted both of her paws, throwing her hands up. "Shoot, babe, move to Corneria. I'll sponsor you for expatria."

"How can you say that when I have caused so much grief for that man?"

"Which man?" asked Miyu.

"The one for whom you obviously still have feelings, mammal."

Miyu grimaced. "I broke it off with Fox. A long, _long_ time ago. He's engaged to be married, now, hon."

In a soft voice, Adler asked, "You're seriously willing to try and sponsor me as an expatriate? You expect me to immigrate to Corneria?"

"Eh, if you want. Don't make a decision right now. Just try it out, see if you like it, and decide when you're ready."

Silence.

No one in the entire multi-squadron group dared to speak.

The Wolfen cut power to its main guns, followed by its targeting and weapon systems. "I still have your pilot in my sights. If this is a trick…"

Miyu cut power to her own weapons. "Heyyy, damn girl. I haven't had any female friends to go shopping with. I mean, there's Fay, but she's got her own life, being the daughter of aristocrats and all. Plus, I went into the Air Guard … I just … y'know, I could really use a fellow pilot buddy to be my wingmate for a mall-run, you know?"

"Ah … malls. A Cornerian staple of their decadence."

"Don't knock it until you try it, girl."

"I … I don't know." Adler sighed again. "I have had so _much_ aggression for _so long_. Public places do not suit me. I have attacked public places on Papetoon, Katina, Corneria…"

"The war is in the past," Miyu replied with a soft, endearing tone. "Girl, every woman needs a girlfriend who gets her. It's just the way many of us are hardwired. You've not had that, have you?"

"I … no, I haven't."

Miyu clapped her paws. "It's gonna be _great_! And it's not like you're defecting!"

"How do you figure _that_?" asked Adler.

"Because, girl! Andrew's regime is over! The Venom governments will have to get together and make their own thing, now. Andrew is being arrested over Sauria as we speak."

"He … he _is_?"

"Yup. The drama between Corneria and Venom is in the past, starting today. So, you with me?"

"Why are you being so … _nice_ to me?"

Miyu kissed her paw and blew across her palm toward the camera lens in her dash. "Because, girl, I need a rebel friend in my life. Be my rebel friend, girl! C'mon! We'll try on _all_ the best clothes in Persimmons! Not that _I_ can afford them, but it's free to try'em on!"

Adler sighed softly. She reached out and flipped a switch on her dash. Her shields lowered. "I have nothing else to lose but this ship, and it's not even mine. Fine. If you will sponsor me to go to Corneria, I accept. I have no mate on Venom. I have nothing but ridicule. I am _tired_ of the ridicule."

"Oh, those guys will come around in a few generations. You're just ahead of the curve."

Adler nodded with another soft sigh. "Very well. What of your friend? He cannot land with his bomb bay doors open like that."

Bill cut back into the conversation. "Leave the landing to me, ladies. I'll figure it out."

Miyu asked, "Do you have any personal ties to Venom we should know about before relocating you?"

"I have a young son, Kyong. His mother left me because of my transition."

Miyu brought a paw to her muzzle. She whispered the words, "Oh, _damn_, girl…"

Adler continued. "My wife told Kyong that I died in the Great War. She made me out to be some sort of … _war hero_, but in truth, I was in Black Operations, and never received any heroic recognition for my work."

"So, your wife straight up lied to him?"

"Yes. I am not a decorated hero. I have no heroic deeds attributed to my name. And, to be truthful, when I look back on the life that I lived all those years ago…? I am _disgusted_. The estrogen therapy helped me see clearly. I was in the wrong, and I acted rash and foolishly. I treated my enemy with aggression and spite. I hate who I was during the war. I…" Adler's voice lowered. "I have never told anyone that before."

Miyu afforded a gentle smile. "That took courage to admit something so personal. Thank you for sharing that. Thank you for opening up to me."

Adler looked away and bit her lower lip.

Not wanting to push away the Wolfen pilot, Miyu decided to revert the subject. "So … your son doesn't even know you're alive?"

"No," said Adler. "Kyong thinks I am dead. Perhaps it _is_ best to move on and give him space to mourn a war hero. That would be better than thinking I abandoned him because his mother wanted me out of their lives. At least he will hold me in high regard."

Miyu didn't reply.

Bill was at a loss for words.

Silence.

Adler sighed. "You may call me Tanya. I left '_Eric_' behind. I was retired and living in the slums. My pension goes to Kyong's support. The chance to start over on another world is … more than I thought possible, and I … believe it is time to embrace your offer. Will I have to answer for my war crimes as Eric Adler?"

"Are you really repentant?" asked Miyu.

"You have no idea," said Adler. "We were given testosterone in our food. The women, too. It made us aggressive fighters under Andross' rule. I did things that haunt me in my sleep. When I wanted to reinvent myself, my wife was not supportive. She told Kyong that I was killed at the hands of Fox McCloud in the battle of Fichina … the one leading up to the Aparoid invasion. She told him I am a hero to my kind, and that Fox McCloud was lucky, and that I died honorably in combat against a team of Arwings, but that I was only bested by the team leader."

Miyu said, "I'm sure you can ask for leniency and…"

Bill interrupted Miyu. "Negative, Miyu. Listen, Tanya: Eric Adler died in a cockpit. You're Tanya, and you've stolen a valuable warplane and brought it to us in return for asylum."

Adler blinked. "Wait, what?"

Bill eyed the lens of his dash cam, as if looking right through the digital eye, at Adler. "It's like this, Tanya: You're exchanging a Wolfen II fighter in trade to the Cornerian government for payment to relocate. I'll see to it that the proper paperwork is filled out – you can live off the money you receive from selling that ship to our government. It'll be enough to find a home, take some classes and get a degree, and then you can work and live on your own salary. Eric Adler died. Eric's wife receives death benefits and Eric's pension. That way she continues to support Kyong Adler."

"What of my connection to Eric Adler," asked the lizard.

Bill shook his head. "You've never met that guy. You're not him. This stays between you, me, and Miyu Lynx. We're the only ones on _this_ channel."

Miyu grinned. "I'm lookin' forward to showing you the ropes around Corneria's Capital City. Of course, you can live somewhere quieter if you prefer."

"I will be hated by Cornerians simply for being a lizard," Adler quipped.

"Tanya! Honey!" Miyu laughed and shook her head. "Quite a few lizards left Venom, girl. There's an entire section being developed in Corneria, west of the market district, that is being built up from the rubble left by the Aparoids … it's called RepTown, like a play on the word 'reptile.' It's a handful of Sharp Claw from Sauria and a large community of Venom expats, and you'll be one of them … if you want. I think there are roughly two million lizards living on Corneria."

Adler swallowed back her emotions, but her lower lip quivered ever so slightly. "Two _million_?"

"Give or take," Bill chimed in. "Cornerians see them as people who rejected Andross' empire, so they're treated well. Plus, lizards are obsessively hardworking people. They're treated like people who contribute a lot to society. It'll be easy for you to get a degree because there are special programs and scholarships for minorities."

"I don't know what to say." Adler exhaled. She reached up and wiped at her eyes. "Please, do not tell anyone. Especially not Fox McCloud. I have done terrible things to his friends and loved ones. I hated him for a very, very long time. I don't want his forgiveness; I do not deserve it. I simply want to be Tanya."

"You are, now!" Miyu exclaimed. "Look, not all Cornerians will understand transitioning. Half will, half won't. But both of us? We do. We get it. _I_ certainly do. See, I'm bisexual."

"Meaning?"

Miyu shrugged her shoulders. "See, honey, the bi, gay, and transgender community stick together on Corneria. We've all suffered judgment together, so we are a community. We support one another. The majority of Cornerians do, too, now."

"I … see. My race cannot seem to wrap its minds around the concept of homosexuality or genderqueer lifestyles. My operation was the last straw for my wife, because I had to have it done on Fichina. I was there when Andrew Oikonny arrived with his fleet. I was _there_ when the Aparoids attacked. She told me not to come home as a woman. So, Fichina is where Eric Adler died. We have spoken a few times since then, but not face-to-face."

Miyu frowned. "Sounds like you loved her."

"I love my son," said Adler. "But there was only enough room for _one mother_ in Kyong's life – according to her. I returned to Venom, and she had already filed the papers saying I was dead on Fichina. Since the Aparoids killed anyone who could have argued about my presence in the operation against Star Fox, a civil court granted her death benefits. I have been living in the slums of Shray Lek as Tanya ever since."

Bill asked, "What made you steal a Wolfen and launch it against us?"

Adler sighed. "Venom was under attack. Our defense ship was destroyed. We all watched the sky, and we all saw the explosion. The news was reporting on a surrender and peace treaty at the heart of the capital. I assumed it was a forced peace, not a break from Andrew."

Miyu and Bill listened intently.

"I contacted my old squadron. All of them were dead, except for their trainees. I dressed in my old uniform and helmet, and I spoke with a deeper voice. No one questioned it. We traveled to the abandoned city, which is still quarantined from fallout due to power plants going critical back during the war. We entered the exclusion zone; no one was around to patrol the border fences. I knew the location of the Wolfens. We broke in, and their power supplies still held a charge. The fuel cells were still viable. We launched because we thought Corneria was invading."

"And … now?" asked Miyu.

"You haven't launched a single ship into the atmosphere. I realized it was a liberation effort once I was in orbit. The four of us argued with whether or not we should break off our attack. They convinced me I had nothing to lose, and that dying in battle would be honorable. But they're all dead and I'm the only one left. And dying for a dead regime isn't honorable, it's foolish."

Bill nodded firmly. "I'm glad you came to this decision."

"The only way to ensure peace is to find someone who would have had the respect of Andross. He restored Venom and repaired the economy. Andrew Oikonny may not be the right man for the job, but if you can find someone who would fit that description, who can act as a ranger or steward of Venom, the people of Venom will stay complacent."

Bill nodded in understanding from his cockpit. "I'll keep my eyes out for someone that fits that description. You've got my word, Tanya. All right, I'm going to open our channel up to the rest of the group. No more talk of Eric Adler. That guy died on Fichina a few years ago."

Adler nodded.

Miyu smiled. "It's a shame we can't tell Tanya's story. It's really moving to me."

Bill said, "Those fighter jocks aren't ready. That's why I cut them from the channel, earlier. Discreetly. We're taking a chance, here. I'll tell Hare and I'll tell Pepper, and this back-channeling might mess up my chances of a promotion, but it's the right thing to do."

Miyu sighed in understanding. "All right, then. It's settled. No more talk about Tanya's transition from Eric. Not in public or around the military anyway. I'm ready."

Bill nodded again. "Okay, here we go." He punched a few keys on his dash. "Arthur, sorry I had to mask the comms for a moment. And thank you for your patience, team. This Wolfen Pilot, Tanya Adler, is _not_ going to attack. She's with us."

James Arthur's voice came over the line. "Wait, _with_ you? A defector?"

"A revolutionary," said Bill. "I'm here to bring her home to Corneria. She's going to trade her ship for her figurative forty acres and a mag-lev plow."

Arthur chuckled over the line. "God, I haven't heard _that_ term since my grandparents used to say it. All right. I'm going to let the skipper know that we're not at a stand-off with a Wolfen anymore, and that they'll need to board. What about you? Can you land with your damaged bay doors?"

Bill laughed. "Damn right I can. Miyu? Will you do the honors?"

Miyu said, "Lower your shields and prepare for surgery."

Bill lowered his shields.

Miyu moved into position beneath Bill's fighter and with one shot, she blew off the ordinance bay doors, leaving an empty square hole in the bottom of his ship. She lifted her left paw, made a 'gun' shape with her fingers, and blew across her index finger. "Like a surgeon," she sang with a chuckle.

Bill grinned. "See, Arthur? She told you she had steady paws, didn't she?"

James Arthur shook his head. "All right, all right. All squadrons! Call in and get your assigned landing order from the deck commander. The second wave will launch a cleanup crew operation, then we'll have troop transport dropships head planet-side to secure the area and make it safe for the politicians to do their jobs. Fine flying today, everyone."

Miyu grinned at Bill's image on her HUD. "It was fun, Grey. Drinks are on you."

"Damn right they are, Miyu. You fought hard, you were integral in diplomacy, and you made it possible for me to land safely. You really should have your own squadron."

Miyu laughed nervously. "Me? My own squad?"

"Why not?"

"Oh, jeeze, Bill … I don't know! I mean, I'd love that, but … are you sure?"

"Unless you'd rather go into the private sector for way more money. I have some connections if you want me to make some calls."

"I need to sleep on those options, but I love'em both. The thing is, I'm in the middle of a court martial from Captian to Lieutenant right now. I shouldn't even be up here. It was a mistake that I received a _call to action_ notice in my optic-mail. The robo-call couldn't be reasoned with, either."

"Let's land, and we'll talk after I debrief Tanya. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to take her under your wing. Think you could do that for me?"

Miyu nodded. "Yeah. I'm down for it. Tanya, you like to drink?"

"It's … it has been _quite_ a while since I could afford the luxury."

Miyu beamed. "Tonight, we are getting _lit up_, girl. Bill, don't you forget that you owe us two rounds whenever you catch up with us."

"I won't forget," said Bill with a chuckle. A number showed up on his HUD. "Oh, look at that. I'm next to land. I guess they want me to debrief the skipper right away. See you ladies when you land."

Miyu moved alongside the Wolfen. "Later, Bill! So! Tanya! I've always wanted to see who could win a drinking contest – reptile or mammal. You game for a friendly little competition?"

A rare smile spread across Tanya Addler's face. "Yes. Yes, I believe I am. I just received a landing sequence order. I will see you down below."

Miyu chuckled. "I just got mine, too. I guess I'm coming in right behind you. That didn't sound right, but you know what I mean."

"No, it sounded fine. I appreciate your help, both of you." Tanya rubbed her face so as not to get emotional. "I would buy the drinks for all if I had anything to use for payment. But I look forward to your hospitality, Miyu Lynx and William Grey. All right … I am now also joining the public channel again. Stand by…"

Silence.

Tanya cleared her throat and said, "Wolfen II pilot, civilian Tanya Adler, coming in for a landing on runway Golf-2." The Wolfen descended onto the fast-attack carrier's seventh of eight runway tubes.

Miyu moved around to landing strip Hotel-1.

Bill landed on Charlie-2. Halfway into his landing, the ship's tractor beam captured his ship.

Bill looked down at his comms and pressed a flashing button. "This is Grey."

"Lieutenant Colonel! This is General John Pepper and acting General Peppy Hare." The speaking voice belonged to John Pepper. "Looks like you've sustained some _serious_ damage to your fighter. Impressive that your landing gear still seems to work, but let's not take any chances. I've been monitoring your private transmission. I now have Peppy with me; he hasn't been briefed on that information. I agree, however, that the information should remain between yourself, Miyu Lynx, and Tanya Adler. I'm going to start on some paperwork that will move things along, but I'll need your _full report_ before you have a single drop of alcohol. I'll redact it as necessary and forward it long to the skipper. You will only use what I choose as the official information. Understood?"

"Understood," said Grey. "No one is to be read-in on it, is that correct?"

"That is correct. I'm personally on my way to the carrier, where I will make it my flagship for the time being. It will be my last act as Fleet General, most likely. Peppy Hare will stay on Corneria for the time being. I want that report by the time I arrive. I'm using a jump gate, so I should be there within the hour."

"I look forward to seeing you, John."

"I look forward to promoting you to Colonel. It's long overdue and well deserved. You acted as a diplomat and signed a truce treaty with Venom, and then you stopped a resistance movement. That's some fine soldiering. Pepper … out!" The line ended.

Bill chuckled, watching as the tractor beam emitter maneuvered his ship into a hanger storage locker. "Shoot, I wouldn't have had Miyu bother with shooting off the bomb bay doors if I knew this fancy new carrier came with all these fancy amenities." Bill folded his paws, leaned back in his seat as best as he could, and waited for his ship to be set down safely.

Miyu and a deck hand hurried over with a ladder.

Bill grinned and shook his head. "Guess I'm buying drinks for two women tonight. Geeze. Lucky me. Something tells me I'd better open a tab and set a limit with the tender before I get started."


	14. Boots on the Ground

.

Chapter -14-  
_Boots on the Ground_…

_Meanwhile_…

**Fox grinned over at Krystal, **admiring her nude body. "I know we've been through some grade-A crap together. You think we'll get out of this?"

Krystal pressed her back against a brick wall. A blaster beam lanced in through an adjacent window, so close she could feel the heat on her face. "Well, we made it through that time when the dam burst and washed me away." She looked down at the broken bits of ancient wood, still glowing orange, at her feet.

Fox cringed at the memory. "You were sucked out of … a Landmaster, I think? It's a bit spotty. Almost like I blocked out some of that stuff."

"Mm, yes, Fox … but even that? We walked away from the situation together and whole. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. By this point, after that and after the Aparoid Assault, and after everything else we've been through? I'm starting to think we're just plain untouchable when we're together."

Fox reached his blaster through the empty window frame and opened fire again, trying to use suppressing fire to pin down wherever Andrew and his people were firing from in the tree-line.

A blaster shot struck the old brick wall, hitting the window frame. It came so close to Fox that it singed the fur of his fingers. He jerked the blaster back in and ducked down again. "Geeze!" He stole another glance at her, but his eyes were everywhere south of her face. "I'm glad you sensed them moving in, but I wish you could have sensed them from further away."

"I was busy at the moment; I wasn't focusing on my sixth sense."

"Well, at the very least, I wish you could have sensed that they had us in their sights before they opened fire."

"Oh, hey, Fox…" She waved to get his attention; her gesture trailed off into a slight waggle of her fingers. "You should probably know that they're shooting at us."

He blinked, not used to her joking in the field. "What?"

"I said … I'm _pretty sure_ I sense they're shooting at us. _Right now_."

Fox scoffed with a wry grin. "Smart ass."

"I prefer the term _wise ass_. It makes me sound as cultured and worldly as I really am." She winked playfully.

"Are you really making jokes under fire? I mean _really_?"

"You're not the _only_ one who knows how to deflect in a tense moment," she said with a shrug of indifference. "My staff is at eighty-five percent charge. We'll be fine."

"When I got that thing on Sauria, it didn't last very long. You and Mr. Beltino really did a heck-of-a-job updating the batteries."

"Mr. Beltino provided the tools to work on it, his brother, Grippy Toad, provided the rare earth elements and specialty metals to make the new batteries."

"You … did most of the work yourself?" Fox asked with surprise in his tone.

"Slippy could've told you that much, Fox. I have more understanding of Cerinian technology than the average girl of my race. My paternal grandfather was a skilled inventor."

"He was?" He flinched at an old brick bursting into small pieces. He closed his eyes so the stone powder wouldn't agitate his gaze.

She shook her head with a sigh. "Considering we've been friends for several years, now, you really do have quite a bit more to learn about me. Back to the task at hand, Fox, do you have any ideas, or do you want me to wing it, instead?"

"What're you thinking?" he asked.

"Well…" She looked around the old brick tower, thinking of how to be clever. "Hmm…"

"This is my fault. I let us get distracted."

"Fox." She looked up at the night sky through the glowing embers that decorated the beams where the roof used to be. Her gaze lowered back to her pelt, then she stole a glance at his naked body. "Stop blaming yourself, Fox. I mean, Slippy said they were clear across the moon at last scan. There's no way we could have known Andrew would put out a false signal to throw us off. The fact he ambushed us in the middle of making love was clever on his part. But it won't be clever enough to kill us. We can't die when we're together. We've established that fact already."

Fox shook his head and reached up to run his fingers through his facial pelt, wiping bits of plaster and rubble away from his eyes. "I'm just glad you dove for your staff at the last second, and activated the shield, or we'd have been burned by the roof when it came down on top of us."

"You're welcome." She pulled her flight suit close and slid her legs into it.

"Aww. Yeah, I guess getting dressed comes first – we're not going to win from this window."

"Nope, we're not."

"I remember when you bought that from … Persimmons … I think."

"I bought the outfit on Corneria, but then I used it to mend my Cerinian flight suit, which was damaged from the rough landing on Sauria, not to mention the first time I had to fight my way out of a Sharp Claw patrol."

Fox pulled his boxer-briefs up his legs, followed by his work outfit, which was an all-in-one pants suit, sort of like overalls. He pulled a shirt overtop, then his gear vest.

Once they were both dressed, they retreated to the stairs, leading down through the ruined tower.

Krystal froze the room where they had been making love leading up to the attack, using the freeze-blast from her staff. Then, she pointed the weapon down the spiraling staircase, and froze the walls.

Fox watched in silence.

"Make sense?" she asked.

"Yeah. You sense they're using thermal, so you're freezing the entire tower, top and bottom, so as to throw off their scanners. The walls of ice will mask our location briefly. At the very least, it'll buy us enough time to get out." He followed her down the steps.

Krystal hurried, taking the stairs two at a time.

Once she reached the bottom, she made a dash for the rear entrance, leading back toward the town of partially buried buildings. Her eyes widened, sensing the next attack incoming. "Fox! They're about to…!"

The entire tower exploded.

Krystal tensed her palms around the staff, activating its shielding mechanism.

Fox was still several stairs up. His body launched from the staircase. He flailed a bit and felt something cold against his shoulder. It took another second longer for his mind to catch up with the fact he was sliding across an iced wall in midair, while flying away from Krystal.

The piece of wall he was bodysurfing on met something solid, but it broke his fall. He looked up and saw the roof of a building above him.

It all happened fast. So fast that it was difficult for either pilot to follow the turn of events. The curved piece of frozen wall he'd hit acted to break his fall when it landed on the roof of an adjacent ruined building. The ceiling collapsed.

A sudden, jarring stop … Fox and the frosted chunk of brick wall landed on the floor of an adjacent building. The ceiling of the building landed in chunks, thudding on the ground all around him.

He sat up, charged with adrenaline. He looked around but the secondary building was empty.

An explosion rumbled in the distance.

He couldn't tell which direction it came from – he was too dazed.

"Krystal!" he shouted.

Another rumble came from nearby.

Fox reached up and rubbed his paws against his ears. For the first time, he realized that he'd dropped the blaster in midair, a moment prior.

"Crap," he muttered. He looked around, but Krystal was nowhere to be seen. His adrenaline spiked again. "Krystal!"

There was another distant boom, followed by yet another. He ran toward it, passing through a doorway to the outside.

The tower was gone. A few blocks of the foundation wall remained. His heart literally ached from beating in his chest … or maybe it was suddenly difficult to breathe from the plaster and silica cloud. He couldn't tell which – he just knew there was a sharp pain in his chest.

"Krystal!" he exclaimed.

Fox dashed toward the tower's foundation wall. There, in the middle, was Krystal's body. Her favorite blue outfit was torn. She had her staff clutched across her chest in her left paw, but her right was splayed outward on the ground, with her fingers half-curled.

"Krystal!" he repeated, making a dash toward her.

She didn't move.

Steam rose above the staff, as though it was hot to the touch, but when he approached her and reached for it, the staff was lukewarm. However, her paw was _cold_. Her wrist was cold. Her neckline was cold.

The rumble of a large rolling vehicle caused Fox to look up just in time to see Andrew approach in the chest-mounted cockpit of a large biped attack tank. It wasn't as big as the ones used in the war. Instead, the standing tank was sleek and looked to have been designed as something that would fold up and be tucked against the belly of a fighter or escape pod. It was likely from the ship that brought Andrew here.

It was as if every instinct in his body shouted out to him to evade Andrew's next attack. Suddenly, vengeance was more important than dying beside her.

Fox saw the guns brought forward. He could practically see into the dark barrel, and he dove to the left.

The large weapon released a bright energy blast, which would have hit Fox had he stayed. The blast passed harmlessly over Krystal's motionless body and left a crater in the ground several feet away from her.

Fox spied his blaster on the ground. He made a dive for it, closed his fingers around it, and rolled back to his feet in one smooth move. He dashed away from Krystal to lead Andrew into following him.

His plan worked.

Andrew opened fire on Fox and changed direction to pursue.

Fox glanced over his shoulder at the attacking biped tank.

Why did Andrew follow him? If Andrew had scooped up Krystal, he could have used Krystal as a hostage for leverage. Was Andrew's attack truly so personal as to hyper focus only on Fox?

His body ached from running, dodging, weaving, evading energy blasts.

A horrible thought dawned on him. What if Andrew's sensors showed that Krystal was dead? What if _that_ was why Andrew ignored her?

Fox couldn't lose her. Not again.

He couldn't stand the idea of losing another person he loved the way he lost Fara Phoenix. He couldn't be the cause of another woman's death.

Not again.

Fueled by anger from letting another woman die, Fox suddenly wanted nothing more than to feel Andrew's blood on his paws.

Fox ran for one of the ruined buildings, headed straight for a wall, jumped up, put his foot on the wall, and kicked off of it. He turned about suddenly and ran toward Andrew's approaching bi-ped tank.

The mini-tank walker suit had two guns on it, one on either arm-rail, controlled by Andrew's hands.

Fox had a blaster in his right paw. He reached into his gear belt and withdrew a Personal Shield Generator. He mashed his thumb on the PSG, creating a bright blue bubble around his body.

The charged shots of Andrew's guns struck Fox's shield unit, pushing him back, but he continued on with his dash. This time, he zig-zagged.

Andrew shouted in rage, trying his best to hit Fox. "Just die already! Damn, you!" Andrew's voice cracked like an adolescent.

Fox thumbed a switched on his blaster, turning off the safeguard settings. He charged his shot so hard that the trigger cracked.

The blaster began to heat up. A warning chime came over a small piezo speaker built into the weapon. "_Warning! Overcharge in progress! Functionality compromised! Discard and stand clear_!"

Fox kept the trigger pressed and hurried toward Andrew.

"You wanna make this personal, McCloud!? Fine by me!" Andrew kept trying to hit Fox with his arm cannons. "Stand still and I'll make you a cold corpse like your little girlfriend!"

"No!" Fox shouted at the top of his lungs. He leapt at the machine, ran up the left arm cannon, and slam-dunked his blaster into the chest-mounted standing-style cockpit.

The damaged blaster repeated its warning down by Andrew's feet.

Fox followed through with a punch to Andrew's face, put his foot on the right-side arm cannon, and dove away.

"No, no, no!" Andrew chanted when he realized the blaster was about to explode. He groaned from the punch to his face and hit the eject lever between his knees.

A large pod launched from the chest of the tank, and the blaster fell through a hole near the simian's feet. A plastic canopy came down over Andrew's face to shield him.

Fox rolled away just as the blaster exploded.

It blew apart the biped attack tank in an instant.

Andrew's escape pod had hardly cleared the machine when it exploded. The blast affected the trajectory of his escape pod, causing it to crash on its side roughly two hundred feet away.

The batteries of the machine exploded, creating a second detonation, which caught Fox and the escape pod, throwing both further away.

Fox brought his arms up to cover his face, then his body hit something solid.

There was a muffled sound in the distance, but everything was dark and far away.

Fox opened his eyes, and the world faded slowly back into focus. A loud ringing filled Fox's ears, but it slowly faded, as well.

Two Andrews held a single blaster pointed down at Fox. They merged into one, and Fox could see up the blaster's barrel.

The ringing finally stopped. The blurriness stopped.

This was it.

Bad luck.

For all his skill and all his determination, and all the times Fox had boasted that luck runs out, but skill doesn't … he found himself on the raw end of the deal regarding luck.

Andrew's distant yammering became clear and loud again. "…And _everyone_ will know who it was that _killed_ the legendary Fox McCloud! My body cam's footage will be watched by everyone in Lylat, and they will know that Krystal's cold corpse and Fox's soon-to-be cold corpse will rot together on a Miraculin alter where they met. Poetic, isn't it?"

"Wait!" Fox said in a hoarse tone.

"Oh! Is the great Fox McCloud going to _beg_ for his life?! This should be good!"

"No, I'm not going to beg. I just wanted to correct you. We met on Sauria, not Miracle."

"Fine, I'll be sure to tell the Thorntail tribe to bury the two of you how they see fit. And, after the funeral, I'll be sure to subjugate them, then nuke the Thorntail Hollow! Now, DIE!" Then, as an afterthought, he added, "THIS IS FOR KILLING MY FAMILY!"

Andrew went to the ground at Fox's side. His face struck his own blaster, sandwiching it into the dirt. Andrew sat up, dazed and confused, with a gash on his forehead. Blood ran down his right cheek. His eyes widened. "Wha…?"

Krystal stood behind Andrew, twirling her staff. "Homerun!" She cut her gaze to Fox, adding, "That _is_ the expression, yes?"

Fox gawked at her in shock.

Andrew looked down at his broken weapon, then back up at Krystal. "How?! You were dead! Cold!"

She scoffed. "A body doesn't go that cold that fast, you idiot. It takes _hours_. But you're a moron, and I knew all I had to do was lower my body temperature by reflecting my ice blast off the highest part of the foundation wall, so it came back at myself just enough to lower my core temperature. Surprise."

Andrew gawked at her, mirroring Fox's expression. "You were dead!"

"How's that concussion you've got, Oikonny? I've never hit anyone in the face with a level-1 quake blast before. Boy, I bet that hurt. Your eyes are facing two different directions. You might want to see a doctor about that." She twirled her staff about and swung the end like a golf club, knocking away his blaster.

The blaster clattered on the ground somewhere in the distance.

Fox stood up with wide eyes. "The building fell on you!"

Krystal grinned at Fox. "The building fell on my _shield_. You're lucky I planted that suggestion in your head to run before he could shoot you where you stood. C'mon, Fox, you know better than to stand over a fallen comrade in the field. That was a rookie mistake."

"You could have _died_!" he exclaimed. "I thought you were dead!"

"Calm down," she demanded. "I saved you. _Again_. I implanted a command into your head to move, before you wound up getting shot. You're welcome, by the way. Why would you just _stand there_, like that? You were ready to die and join Fara Phoenix, huh?"

Fox gawked at her. "I thought you were dead. I would have joined _you_."

"Maybe!" She shrugged at him with a sigh. "For all we know, I would have gone to the afterlife where Cerinian people go. You might have woken up with Fara-freaking-Phoenix. I know she crossed your mind when you saw my body."

"I thought _you_ had just joined her. I was freaking out."

Krystal brought her free paw to her face and groaned softly. She put the bulbous spearhead of her staff against Andrew's face. "And where do you think _you're_ going, huh?"

Andrew babbled, unable to think of something clever to say. "I, uh…"

Fox reached for Krystal's wrist and pulled her right paw from her face. "Don't be upset with me. I thought I lost another teammate."

"No, that's not what you were thinking. You were worried you _let another girl die_. I didn't need saving. I'm the one that saved _you_."

"You didn't have a pulse!"

Krystal chuckled. "My suit was damaged, but it still did what it was designed to do – the auto electric defib sparked me back to action. It shocked me to life while you were standing over me with that silly look on your face. The first thing I sensed was Andrew, excited, because he had you lined up in his sights. I screamed 'move! Fight!' in my mind, forcing that wavelength into your thick skull, and you dove away so close that the blaster-shot nearly struck your leg. You're lucky I was revived, or we'd both we dead."

Andrew blinked. "Wait, I _did_ kill you?"

Krystal sighed. "I shielded myself from the explosion, then I reflected my cold blast back at myself, using a curved part of the foundation wall. It seemed like a good plan, until my legs felt too numb to move. I fell onto my back. A piece of debris from the still-collapsing tower must have landed on my chest and briefly stopped by heart. But, after about ninety-seconds, my suit gave me a zap. I opened my eyes to Fox standing over me. It all happened pretty fast."

Andrew said, "But I still killed you for ninety seconds! I still almost won!"

"You got lucky today," said Krystal. "Just not _that_ lucky."

Andrew tightened both hands into fists. "It seems the Oikonny family is two-and-zero for killing McCloud's women. Sure, you got lucky, vixen, but…"

Fox pivoted on his heel and buried his fist into Andrew's jaw with the full power of his bionic shoulder implant.

Krystal perked in horror and surprise at the crunching sound.

Fox followed through the punch as if he was punching something behind Andrew, but he broke two of his own knuckles in the process.

Andrew went to the ground, silent and motionless.

Krystal lowered to one knee at the simian's side and checked his injuries. "You shattered his jaw, Fox."

Fox cradled his right fist to his chest. "Good."

"I was about to say to him that he lost because, as you always say, luck runs out and skill doesn't. Since I was prepared for anything, I was revived. But he wasn't prepared, and luck had its way with him."

"Yeah? You're lucky that suit still functioned, despite the damage to it."

She stood up and checked McCloud's forearm. "I think you've sprained your wrist." She gently ran two fingers up his wrist to his paw. "And you've broken two fingers … pinky and ring."

"I should've hit him harder, but if I had, I might have taken off his head. But, in retrospect, would that have been so bad?"

She shook her head. "He was _unarmed_."

"So?"

"I know you don't have murder in your heart, Fox. You won't execute a man just for offending you. You hit him with a _lot_ of anger, but you subconsciously held back because you had no intention of killing him, just punishing him."

"I … guess. I don't know what I was feeling, except mad."

Krystal reached up and tapped a fingernail against her eyebrow. "Telepath, remember? Trust me, you weren't trying to kill him, just knock him out."

"Well, I'm considering it now."

"That's the adrenaline and cortisol talking. Let's restrain him and get him ready for the authorities."

"I'm so sick of being a bounty hunter. I mean, I love the work, but I just go around trying to earn money for Corneria. Andrew was never supposed to be a bounty. He's guilty of _war crimes_."

"You just brought down a war criminal."

"Yeah … I guess. But it nearly cost you your life."

Krystal narrowed her gaze at Fox. "I'm _not_ Fara Phoenix. And, even if I was, you didn't cause her death. It wasn't your fault."

"It sure feels like it. Then I shit on her memory by falling into a physical thing with Miyu. So, whether I caused it or not, I…"

"Fox! Everyone mourns differently. You and Miyu did, indeed, 'fall into' a physical thing. But it was a coping mechanism, because neither of you had proper psychological aid to help you mourn. So, you acted out. It was foolish, but it was never done with the intent of being disrespectful. It was ignorance, on your part, at best. Miyu's as well. But it's in the past."

Fox sighed softly. "God, I'm terrible at this whole dating thing."

"Oh, well, I think you've done very well for yourself once you were older, more mature … wiser. Third time is the charm."

Awkward silence.

Krystal frowned. "I don't mean to sound as though I am disrespecting Fara's memory, but what I'm saying is … you two were doomed to fail eventually, because she wasn't your soulmate. Perhaps I am."

Fox sighed softly. He felt incredibly conflicted. Mostly, he felt worried that he would cause Krystal to die … again.

"Fox, don't even start thinking about _that_ nonsense."

"I just need to get Andrew into custody, then we can figure out our next course of action."

"What about a home on Corneria?"

"A _home_? Lylat isn't _safe_. Lylat needs a lot of work before I can consider retiring and bringing up a child. People like Andrew are still around."

"Very well, together, you and I will make Lylat safe for our future children."

"First," he breathed the word, shook his head, then, in a slightly louder tone, said, "Okay, first, I need a moment to get my head right. Let's get Andrew into a cell."

Krystal tensed up. "Wait…"

Fox's eyes widened at the way she reacted. "What is it? Another trap? An attack?"

"No … someone close to us has just experienced a tremendous loss. A death. I don't know who. Too far away. It's at the edge of my range. Let's get Andrew secured, and then we should radio in to see what's going on."

A channel opened to Fox's gauntlet from Falco Lombardi.

"_Yo! Fox! I just got word … there's been a development, and, uh … it's not good_."

"What? What happened? Is everyone okay?"

Falco sighed over the gauntlet speaker. "_It's Peppy, man. He just called the Great Fox. Look, just finish up and get up here. I'll fill you in as soon as you land_."


	15. Shame

Chapter -15-  
_Shame_

_Several __months__ later  
Corneria_…

**Krystal looked down at her engagement ring.** She cut her gaze to the gravestone of Vivian Hare and whispered a soft prayer in the native tongue of her race.

Vivian's death, a few months ago, had rocked the members of Star Fox, especially Peppy, who finally retired from his old lifestyle to live with her.

It was so strange, Krystal thought, for Vivian to die in her sleep just hours after lying down for a nap at Peppy's side. It was like she had been waiting to die, but she somehow managed to hold off until she could be in the arms of her true love.

Romantic. Tragic.

So many complicated feelings.

Krystal hated star-crossed love, but she could also understand Vivian fighting to hang on just long enough to be with her husband one last time.

The intense notion of love … a love like _that_ … brought tears to Krystal's eyes all over again. She dabbed them dry with the backside of her paws.

"Krystal, could you give me a moment?"

Krystal looked up at Fox. She frowned and walked back to the gates of the cemetery. She stopped at the entrance, turned around, and watched Fox from across the field of grave markers.

He approached his parents' grave stones, surprisingly close to the Hare family's plot markers.

Her eyes lifted to the twilight sun over the largest cemetery in the Capital City.

Dusk provided beautiful colors in the distance, but there were clouds above the cemetery … cliché but somehow appropriate.

Krystal watched as Fox McCloud walked away from the graves of James and Vixy McCloud.

Fox made his way through the winding footpath as he always did when visiting his parents. But, for some reason, he stopped.

Krystal tilted her head. She could sense regret and sadness nesting in his heart, but she couldn't quite understand what he was feeling.

He stood over another grave, staring at it in silence.

She'd never seen him stop at any other grave before.

Fox lowered to one knee and placed a paw atop the base of an expensive and artistically decorative marble statue.

Curiosity got the better of the vixen.

Krystal walked back into the graveyard, followed the path out to where Fox was knelt, and she approached him cautiously. "Fox?"

He looked up at Krystal, then gazed back down at the marker on the base of the large grave monument. The name written on the etching was _Fara Phoenix_.

Krystal pursed her lips. Her eyes shifted to an adjacent grave for Fara's mother, but a large floral arrangement, atop the plaque, made it impossible to read the woman's first name. Krystal cut her gaze back to Fara's grave. A frown tugged at the corners of her muzzle.

"I just … needed a moment, Krystal."

She sighed in frustration. "Fox, enough."

Fox lifted his gaze, brows furrowed, staring up at Krystal in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"I'm not saying you cannot mourn your fallen teammate. It's just that … ever since leaving Miracle, we have been trying to get on the same page. You won't even invite me to come and pay respects to my future in-laws." Krystal gestured further up the path to James and Vixy's graves. "I've had enough. I need to be in your life, Fox, but you keep pushing me away anytime it comes to something work related or something loss related."

"I never really told you much about her…"

"I know who Fara Phoenix was. I know who Zerda Phoenix is. I know the story. It was _not_ your fault, but _you_ can't be convinced otherwise. I respect the need to blame yourself. It's how you handle it. But what brings you to her grave? Is it her birthday or something?"

Fox rose to both feet. "No, I passed this by accident. I didn't even know her father put her here. The grave is supposedly empty … filled with things that Zerda wanted to bury. It's just a rumor, of course, but I heard it from a reliable source."

"I see…"

Fox sighed. "Krystal, I don't miss being in a relationship with her. It's not like that."

She lifted both of her paws. "I _never_ said it was. You have every right to mourn her. But, please, I need you to believe me when I tell you that her death is not your fault."

"Krystal, you weren't there."

"I have sensed your replaying of that memory many times. She told you she wanted to take care of the patrol alone. You were willing to make changes if necessary, but she wanted to fly solo. Stop beating yourself up."

Fox sighed. He gestured to the grave with the back of his left paw. "Krystal, you're not getting it … this isn't Fara's grave. She's not supposed to be buried here. There were no remains to bury."

"So, if it's not Fara's grave, then what is upsetting you, Fox?"

Fox reached up and rubbed his face with his palm. "It's _your_ grave, Krystal. _That's_ the point I'm trying to make. It's not _literally_ your grave; I'm being _figurative_, but I think the same applies, here."

"Mm, I don't think so." She took a step closer and put her arm around his waist. "Fox, you've been growing distant lately. It's making you difficult to read at times. Now is one of those times. I need you to understand that I have your back until the day we die. And I'll be interred within a shrine on Papetoon by your side, when we're old and withered. Stop worrying so much."

Fox shook his head. "You're not getting it."

"Then explain it to me, Fox! If you're going to shut me out to where I _can't read you_, you'll need to actually _talk_ to me, instead!"

He turned to face her, directly, and pointed back at the distant graves of James and Vixy McCloud. "They're both empty graves, too. Both of them."

Krystal followed his pointing finger. Beyond the gravestones, twilight Corneria twinkled in the distance … a silhouette of majestic buildings and spires dotted with white rectangles and squares, where people lived their lives, stood in front of a deep red and purple sunset.

Fox turned and pointed to the monument in front of himself. "Her's is empty, too."

"Wait, you think…?" Krystal tightened her left paw into a fist. "You think James' lifestyle resulted in the death of Vixy? And, you think that his legacy is somehow carried on with Fara's death somehow being your fault? We have been over this, Fox! I am _telepathic_. I have your back. Yes, this lifestyle is dangerous, but without me, you'll be the one in a grave. And without you? I might be the last of my race, and that would be the end of my kind."

Fox sighed. "No, Krystal. I mean, _yes_, but…" He shook his head and fidgeted with the lay of his silver aviator jacket. He took a deep breath and reached up to swipe a mosquito away from the white shoulder pads of her Star Fox issued flight suit. "Look, Andross' obsession with my mother is what led to my mother's death. He tried to kill my father so that he could have a chance with her. Killing her drove him nuts. And my father? He couldn't even get vengeance for her. He died trying. Andross killed _both_ of my parents, one by accident, and the other on purpose."

"I know the story, love. What is your point?"

Fox sighed again. "This life? It _is_ dangerous." He gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Yes, it is Fox. And, together, we both stand the best possible chance of surviving it. Together."

Fox shook his head and dropped his paw away from her shoulder. "You stand the best possible chance of surviving it, Krystal, if you focused on raising a child in a nice house with a nice lawn … near a nice school. Something safe and wholesome."

Krystal laughed. But she saw the look in his eyes and felt that he was being honest and serious. Her laughter faded to a chuckle, and then it faded away all together. "You're … not serious…?"

"I've been called to Corneria to meet with a client. It's my parents' anniversary, so I came _here_ to pay my respects…"

"Yes, I know why we came here, Fox. Good Goddess, we came together. It's the first client Star Fox has had since the job on Miracle."

"Yeah. And I've been wondering how I'd feel about having you on the team with me when that day comes. And, well, it's here. And I'm _terrified_ this job will be our last, together. I can't lose you."

"You won't."

"You're right. I won't. I _can't_ lose you. That's why you're not coming."

Krystal scoffed. Again, she sensed he was being honest and serious. Her eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

"I … met with the client _before_ coming here."

Krystal's eyes widened to saucers. Her tail fluffed up. "You _lied_ to me?! You said you were going to run errands and to meet you here! Now you're telling me you've already met with the client, and you're benching me? What for? What'd I do?!"

"Nothing!" Fox exclaimed. "You didn't do anything wrong!" He took a deep breath, sighed through partially clenched teeth, and shook his head. "Krystal, it's not like that. I want you to be _here_. I want us to take the next step in our relationship – I want you to open an account in our name, buy a home, and then we can talk about taking these next steps _together_."

"But … you don't want me flying the mission with you?"

"Well, I don't want you to die, Krystal. We're too close to the finish line together."

"Fox, are we a team?"

"Yes, of course."

"But you're benching me?"

"No, Krystal."

She started to relax, a little, and asked, "Then _what_?"

"I'm taking you off the team, all together, so that you can focus on repopulating Cerinia, so to speak. I want you to be my wife one day soon, and I want you home, where it's safe."

Krystal stared at him for a moment, unable to wrap her head around it all. She looked back in the direction of Vivian's grave, presenting her back to Fox. "You want me to live alone? Like Vivian did before her passing?"

Fox blinked. His jaw dropped. "What?! No! OF course not!"

"So, after this job, you're retiring?"

"Well, no."

Krystal furrowed her brows. "Is that so…"

"Krystal, lots of couples live together, but their jobs take them on the road. We'll make it work."

"Fox, this team is your _life_. Living in that brand-new carrier ship is mortgage free. It makes no sense to have two homes – one with your mate, and one without. No sense at all. And you _love that carrier_. You'll be there more than you'll be at home with me."

"Krystal, please, I don't want to argue about this."

"Fox. I'm going with you on this job."

"No, uh … you're actually not."

"Why not?"

"I've already put in for the paperwork for your official separation from the team. I did it before meeting with the client."

"You did _what_?"

"I'm sorry, Krystal. I've already made up my mind. You're off the team. I need you to be home. Safe. I'll give you anything you want … anything you need. You can even use your piloting license to teach…"

Krystal's eyes welled up with tears. The rejection hit her like a punch to the gut, but she had too much pride to double over in pain. "Undo it. Whatever paperwork you did, you were being emotional. Undo it. I'll forgive you."

"I'm _not_ undoing it. I've already told Falco and Slippy. They didn't … really … agree. Slippy said he needs time, after this next job, so he's going to spend time with Amanda. And Falco? Well, I don't know. He's going to do this job, then he said he'll let me know what's up afterwards. Apparently, he had a lot of fun with Katt when they worked together last. But, I mean, I've already told everyone, including Peppy, that you're moving to Corneria. My mind was made up the moment I got the call from the client."

Krystal kept her back to Fox so that he wouldn't see her cry. He wasn't allowed to see her cry … not anymore. He would never again have that right.

"Krystal, say something."

"This … is a _betrayal_," she replied in a soft tone, so as not to let him know she was crying.

"What?"

"Take it back."

"Take what back?"

"All of it. Last chance. I'm not going to be your stay-at-home-wife, McCloud. I am your partner, your wingmate. Your teammate. Either that, or I am going to find my own way in this universe."

"Krystal, I told you. You're off the team. I can't risk losing what I've built up with you over these last few months. You said you were 'a little late' yesterday, remember?"

Krystal ground her teeth together. "I took a pregnancy test. I'm not pregnant. You haven't been trying as much as you were when we were on Miracle. I was just a little late. It'll start any day, now."

"Well, I thought…"

"You thought wrong. I'm not carrying our child. Now, are you going to let me fly on the team again or not?"

Fox looked down and closed his eyes. "We'll keep trying for a baby. I'll be more like I was when we were on Miracle. We can even take a vacation there if you want."

"So, I can fly this job, now, right?"

"No. Don't you remember the last thing we did together, our last time on Miracle? You almost died. Back up even further, to our last big job against Oikonny? Remember that time? Right before I gave you that ring, you nearly died … I will never forget watching you get pulled out of my hand. I wasn't strong enough to hold on – my shoulder needed to be surgically repaired. I did my best, yet it wasn't enough. Going back before the Aparoid Assault, I nearly lost you the moment I met you."

Krystal, with her back still to Fox, removed the ring from her finger. She discretely set the engagement ring on the hip-height basin of Fara Phoenix's gravestone. "The girl … Miyu Lynx…"

"Uh … what about her?"

"Miyu was wrong. She thought you were unable to get over Fara Phoenix's love. That wasn't it. Close, but no."

"I … don't understand. How do you mean?"

"You, Fox? You're unable to get over _your insecurities_. You look at women, and you think they're going to die like your mother and your first serious relationship. You think letting Miyu go was the best thing for her, because she's somehow survived a nonsensical 'McCloud Curse' that you've manufactured out of your personal insecurities."

Fox lowered his chin, keeping his eyes shut. He didn't yet see the ring on the grave statute. "Krystal…"

"The reason I stayed in the air is to keep you alive. _Someone_ has to watch your back, Fox. You're making it awful hard to keep you alive."

"Krystal, my 'curse' isn't surviving women. It's _surviving_ … period. My mother died. My father died. My first girlfriend died. My godmother died. I _know_ I'm going to survive. Even if you hate me right now, at least I'll know I didn't cause the last Cerinian to die."

"My life is in my own paws, Fox."

"Yeah, well, I can't blame myself if you die outside of a cockpit."

She tightened both paws into fists. Tears streamed down her face. "This has to be a side-effect of going through withdraws from not being around the pheromone drugs on Miracle."

"No, Krystal. I mean, I don't know. Maybe, maybe not. But I can't lose you."

"You're pushing me away. How is _that_ any different?"

"At least I'll know you're safe and alive."

"You really think _so little of me_ that, even with all the hard work I've put into helping you save Lylat, you don't think I'm fit to fly by your side?"

"Krystal, we're done flying together. You need to understand that's the way this is happening. It's already happened. The decision has already been made."

"How could I not see this side of you before? What a fool I was to think that I'd found a man who understood me." She exhaled and shook her head. "If we can't be together, then we shouldn't be _together_."

"I'm kicking you off the team, Krystal. I'm not breaking up with you!" He reached for her forearm from behind.

She jerked her wrist out of his grasp and took several steps forward. "No. I feel embarrassed. I feel disrespected and underappreciated. After all I have done to be with you, you've thrown it away because you're insecure. Do you even know me? I am not the kind of woman that sits home and knits, while waiting for her husband to come home from a month-long job. Have you even considered other positions for me?"

"No. Because if you were on the bridge of Great Fox, and it was destroyed, you would be dead. Peppy nearly died when the Great Fox crashed into the Aparoid homeworld. No, the safest place for you is here, on Corneria."

"I was willing to be barefoot and pregnant for you, Fox McCloud, but _only_ _if_ you were at my side. We fight together, we live together, and we have a family together. That's was the deal. Now? You're changing the terms of the deal."

"I'm breaking the deal," said Fox in a stern tone. "You're my girl. You're done flying. But we can still be _together_."

She pointed at the ring on the grave marker. "No. If that's truly how you feel, then no … we _can't_." She started walking toward one of the gates. Tears of shame and hurt flowed down her face, matting her fur.

Fox gasped and reached for the ring. "Krystal! Don't you dare walk away from me!"

"I'm going to my ship! I'll be on the Cloudrunner. If you want to fix this? You'll send me coordinates to the job. I sense that you're headed to Titania to fix some sort of planetary emergency. But I don't know which colony you're going to."

"Krystal…"

"I _said_, send me the coordinates to the job, Fox. If not? You'll be sitting on your pretty new ship all alone. I won't wait forever."

"Actually," Fox called after her, from back by Fara's grave. "You _will_. Because I have a job to do. And I don't know how long it will take to complete it."

Krystal gawked at his response. She took a deep breath and continued walking until she was out of the cemetery.

Everything felt … numb. She'd lost everything. In an instant, she'd lost everything she'd worked years to achieve with Fox. Her life, as she knew it, was over.

But at least she still had her dignity.

X

X

_A short time later_…

The flight to Great Fox felt like the blink of an eye.

She found herself on the flight deck of the new carrier, standing in a stupor. It was like a fever dream, distant yet she still couldn't decide if it was real or if it was all a really bad dream from which she couldn't wake up.

She went to her quarters … or, rather, Fox's personal quarters … that she'd been sharing with Fox over the past few months.

She didn't even know where he was, except that she'd arrived on Great Fox before him.

She boxed up a few belongings and carried them to the Cloudrunner. It was a few outfits and two boxes of personal items. They weren't even very big, considering the fact she'd lived in Lylat for several years, now.

All of her worldly possessions fit onto one cargo cart with space to spare. She rolled it down to the flight deck, loaded everything onto Cloudrunner, including a few extra fuel cells from the flight deck's fuel dispenser.

Once the Cloudrunner was loaded up, Krystal set the autopilot for her ship to carry all of her personal belongings to Corneria. She wasn't sure why.

Nothing made sense.

She watched the ship lift off the deck and fly out on its own.

_Why_ wasn't she on it?

Nothing made sense … nothing at all.

She looked out the flight deck and spotted a purple planet in the distance. Sauria. Her heart tightened into a knot of pain.

She stood there, in a stupor, just staring at Sauria.

The planet where she met Fox. Above it was the tiny moon where she'd lost her virginity to Fox. It was the world where she had all of her emotional ties to Lylat.

Fox's Arwing came into view, blocking the image of Sauria. A floodlamp on the front of his fighter made her lift a paw to cover her face. Her shadow stretched out behind her.

She stared up at the Arwing, sensing that Fox _assumed_ she 'came to her senses' and was waiting for him on the flight deck. Then, she sensed that he felt frustrated, because he began wondering if she was going to _demand_ to be part of his next mission.

Nothing was further from the truth. She refused to go where she wasn't wanted.

She walked to the far end of the flight deck to give him space to land.

Could she do this? Could she face Fox after their breakup?

No. It wasn't that she _couldn't_. No, she simply didn't want to right now.

She didn't want to deal with this … drama. At least not right now. She didn't want to hear his excuses.

She took a deep breath, and quietly walked across the flight deck. She took a hallway to the port end of the carrier ship, opened a hatch on the bulkhead, and stepped into a lifeboat. She stepped in, closed the hatch behind herself, and launched the emergency pod with the destination set for the closest world.

She wasn't sure why. She'd just sent all of her belongings to Corneria in the Cloudrunner … why was she taking an escape pod to Sauria?

To avoid coming face to face with Fox, that's why. And escape pods were untraceable, so that an attacking enemy wouldn't be able to follow survivors. At least, now, Fox wouldn't be able to track her trajectory to Sauria.

She assumed he'd look around the ship for her, first, before discovering the lifeboat pod missing. That would buy her time, for sure.

X

X

_Titania,  
Sometime later_…

**Krystal rubbed her head. She felt woozy and** drunk. She couldn't remember much, and the shifting sands of the desert world didn't look like any part of Sauria she recognized.

She stood on the precipice of a large hill with a steep drop, overlooking a township of roughly twenty thousand people in the valley below.

A large creature was laid out on the desert floor, a few miles beyond the town gates. Tiny dots surrounded it … people.

An Arwing flew by. A few Cornerian G16 fighters patrolled the skies.

The large bio-weapon monster was motionless. Its body was being dismantled by the tiny dots far below, that worked together to chop it up and burn its remains.

Krystal patted her clothes to get the dirt off of herself; she found a pair of binoculars in her cargo-shorts pocket.

She didn't remember wearing cargo shorts … _ever_.

She withdrew the binoculars, removed their lens covers, and zoomed in on the town. It was roughly a thirty-to-forty-minute jog to the entrance facing the tall hill. She panned the binoculars to the creature outside the main gates on the side of the town.

With the binoculars, Krystal could see that the dots were actually vans and buses that brought in volunteers.

She lowered the binoculars. Once more, from the precipice, it looked like the dots could have been people. She lifted the binoculars back to her eyes and gazed into them again. Once more, the dots were vehicles used to bus in volunteers. It was then that she realized just how far away she was, and just how _enormous_ the creature was. The township was tight, compact, and comprised of residential buildings. She didn't see any suburban style homes, just apartment complexes and condos.

She estimated the town was about four miles north to south and roughly five miles, east to west.

She estimated herself to be south of the township, and the creature was a few miles northeast of the town's eastern entrance.

She put the dust caps back on the binoculars and put them back into her pocket.

Krystal checked herself … she was wearing a lab coat she'd never seen before, but also a blouse, which she recognized as her own.

She wasn't sure, but she thought she'd saw Andross. However, everything was fuzzy, and she couldn't remember much.

There was a sharp pinprick on her neck. Her eyes widened. She looked down at a large shadow that loomed over her.

Krystal turned to face a large…

…suddenly, everything went black.

The sound of the breeze faded.

She heard a deep voice somewhere in the background, but she couldn't move, and staying awake grew difficult.

The voice said, "You have shown me that your people can be useful and are worth saving. You proved able-minded and able-bodied. You worked hard, and your work saved over twenty-thousand civilians. Be proud of yourself for your part in saving a Lylatian world, on this day."

The voice sounded so familiar to Krystal.

It continued. "However, you have learned more than I would have liked. I have given you a targeted neuron-blocker to surpress the events that took place over the last twenty-four to thirty-six hours."

Krystal struggled to move but she couldn't even open her eyes.

The deep, aloof voice continued to monologue into her ear. "It may be a few months before you remember everything that transpired here. I do not know if you will continue to work with Fox McCloud, but if you ever see him again, be sure to tell him that _everything_ he knows about me was wrong. I _have_ wronged him, that part is true. However, the war is over. I have every right to continue my work, while the rest of the system believes I am dead."

She didn't reply, she simply listened. Her body felt numb and her mind felt cloudy.

The voice sounded as though it was speaking softly right into her ear. "McCloud cannot know I am alive, because he cannot understand the importance of my work. This is likely because he cannot see past the death of his father. His father's death was in self-defense, and it was a battlefield death, carried out in wartime."

There was a gruff baritone sigh.

Then, the voice said, "McCloud is narrow-minded, just like John Pepper. I know I have wronged them both, but my work will save billions, and these deaths were not done maliciously. They were accidents. You see, my actions led to the accidental death of Vixy McCloud. Before that, my actions led to the accidental deaths of twenty-five Cornerian civilians and a handful of military personnel, one of which was John Pepper's mentor. My experimental weapon destroyed a military compound on Corneria. I will atone for that on my own."

Krystal fought to stay awake.

"The war between Venom and Corneria was self-preservation on my part, nothing more. Mm, perhaps a touch of hubris on my part, as well. As you could probably tell, after I forced you to become my lab assistant at gunpoint, I am broken. Whether born or made, that is an argument for psychologists. Narcissist, sociopath, psychopath, I have been labeled by scientists for my psychopathy, because I have no empathy. But I do not have an extreme antisocial attitude. I simply have Empathy Deficit Disorder. Think of me as a socially-functioning sociopath, if you wish."

Another sigh. "As an empath, you would understand my situation, even though I am incapable of understanding yours. Just know that I am blessed with great intellectual power. And, with great power, there _must_ come great responsibility. Perhaps I have been irresponsible, but that is in the past. My great responsibility, now, is to save lives with my work. So, I will continue my work, no matter the cost. And you? You will forget this conversation for a while. But one day, when you are face to face with Fox McCloud, please, by all means, tell him he only sees me as the man that killed his father, and not as the man that has worked to save billions of lives. I am sorry, but you will wake up with a headache, due to being dehydrated. That is a side effect of the shot. It soaks up water in your body. So, for now, it would be best if you rest…"

Silence.

Darkness.

There was no dreaming, just darkness.

X

X

_Sauria,  
Sometime even later_…

Krystal sat up with a start. She was on a hard surface. Her eyes opened and she squinted at the dim glow of Miracle above her head. She looked down at what appeared to be the top of the Krazoa Palace.

There was a bottle of water nearby. She picked it up, broke the seals on the cap, opened the bottle, and drank heavily, more than half the contents of the bottle.

She patted herself down. She still wore the cargo shorts, but the lab coat was gone. The binoculars were gone as well.

Krystal got to her feet and looked around. The weather was beautiful. The air was a balmy seventy-five degrees, using the Papetoon measurement system Fox liked and preferred.

She rubbed her face with a yawn and looked around at the skyline of Sauria in silence. She walked to the edge of the palace's rooftop and peered over, unable to see the jungle floor so far below.

"Was it a dream?" she whispered.

She reached back and touched her neck. She felt a bump beneath the fur. "My gods, I was drugged." She looked around again, reached down into her cargo pants, and checked herself, but there was no pain, and seemingly nothing bruised.

She exhaled with a sigh of relief. She checked her abs and neck for signs of pain or bruising, but there was nothing wrong, save for a very slight stiffness … that was a feeling she recognized – sleeping in the same position for a long period of time. She finished the water bottle.

She would need _more_ water and some potassium-rich foods, like dried apricots or some fresh bananas. There were plenty in the jungle of Sauria.

Krystal pivoted on her heel, looking around the area for signs of anything that could answer her questions about what happened.

There was a tent nearby. She approached it, but it was empty. There were scratch marks on the ground as though heavy equipment once occupied the tent.

Nearby, she saw a GreatFox escape pod. The Star Fox logo had been scratched off. She approached the pod and examined the outside carefully. The Teflon-based painted logo should have survived atmospheric entry. She leaned in close, noticing that the red logo appeared to have been scraped off by a chisel or some other tool.

At a closer look, she noticed the engines had been heavily modified with a device that would likely make the escape pod travel at near FTL speeds, and another device was mounted to the fuselage to provide shields.

"Who made _this_?" She placed her paws on the side of the engine modification, studying it. She'd seen something similar, made by Slippy and his father, Beltino, but it was much larger. She opened the side of the engine casing, gazed within, and studied the design of the modification for a moment. She closed the access panel and stepped into the escape pod.

Inside, she saw a case of prepackaged water bottles, some brand-name aspirin, sealed in its packaging. There was … a very out-of-place _fruit basket_.

Krystal eyed the fruit basket suspiciously. "Aren't these used on Corneria as a 'thank you' or something? How strange." She saw a note nestled with the fruit.

The card had simplistic typed lettering within.

The note read, "_For your hard work, Cerinian … the modified engine will easily reinstall to your new personal fighter. The Cloudrunner. Yes, I have seen the design plans for it; that does not matter. Whether you choose to accept the gift is entirely up to you, but it will work with the NTD-FX2 Plasma Engines of your fighter, and I machined the design so that it is easy to modify for a proper fit on your machine. Thank you for your help and hard work. You proved to be far more capable than any other lab assistant. A shame we cannot continue our work together_."

On the floor was a crumpled piece of paper. She turned to the controls and saw the coordinates were set to the military recruitment center in the downtown area of Corneria's Capital City. The arrival time displayed 'thirty-six hours' on the readout.

She turned to the fruit basket and the crumpled flyer. She vaguely remembered finding a flyer of that same yellowish-pink paper coloration at one of the new Saurian Colonies, the hub town built by Cornerians over the last few years.

There was a wrap-around sofa on the inside of the pod that had enough seating for up to several people. There was a very, very small hatch panel on the other side of the capsule, a bathroom for emergencies. But it would suffice for the thirty-six-hour trip.

Inside the bathroom, mounted to the wall, was a 'Red Sprocket' tool kit.

Krystal sighed. It made her think of Fox, Falco, and Slippy. She shook her head, remembering all the times that the boys would make dirty jokes about their 'big Red Sprocket tool.'

They were so immature, but it was sort of charming in a way.

She just cringed. She remembered her last interaction with Fox.

Krystal looked down at her empty left paw. No ring. She left it on Fara Phoenix's grave marker.

Her eyes watered at the memory. Her heart ached. She tried to refocus her mind on the fact that she was unable to remember what transpired in the past day or so. Or was it longer? She couldn't be sure.

She was starting to feel better from the large bottle of water, at least. And the stiffness was starting to subside.

Everything else felt vague and spotty. She took a deep breath, licked her lips, and then she spotted her personal communicator on the dash controls, charging off the pod's batteries.

Krystal snatched the communicator, noting that it was now fully charged. She looked up Bill Grey's personal communicator number, but she didn't yet dial it.

What was she going to tell him? She didn't know.

She looked at the time and date on her communicator's small screen, frowned, and sighed through her teeth. She'd lost time. She couldn't be sure _exactly _how much, but definitely around two days.

She checked the uptime on her communicator, then the built-in app that tracks how often she'd been using the device. The last time she accessed any applications on it was fifty-six hours and thirty-two minutes ago.

"Two-and-a-half days," she whispered. "I lost two … and-a-half … _days_," she repeated. Her heart began to race.

_Why_ couldn't she remember? She touched her neck again, feeling about, through the fur of her pelt, until she relocated the bumps. One of the spots was still a bit sore, the other not as much, and the bump wasn't nearly as high.

She concluded that she'd been drugged twice, roughly a day-or-two apart.

Krystal gave herself another quick physical examination, but there was nothing else that suggested she'd been sexually assaulted or physically harmed in any way.

Why the hell couldn't she remember?

She looked at the communicator again, noticing she had three-out-of-five bars of reception. She went to the app store, downloaded an app designed to compile information based on which towers her device had used when making digital 'handshakes,' to determine where she'd been lately.

The app was small and downloaded quickly. She silently praised the Cornerian subspace communication's cartel for having such amazing service around the system.

She accessed the app, grumbled softly at the need to make an account, spent several minutes setting one up, then she pressed 'okay' to give the app permission to access her device's personal history.

She saw that she'd been on Sauria for part of the time and Titania for part of the time, then she apparently came _back_ to Sauria.

Okay, so only _half_ of her questions had been answered.

Krystal rubbed her face with a sigh. The phone wouldn't be able to answer any more than where she'd been and when…

She took another deep breath to calm her racing heart.

Her eyes returned to the flyer on the floor of the escape pod. It was crumpled. She reached for it and flattened it out against a bulkhead. She vaguely remembered picking it up at a colony nearby.

Krystal glanced down at the aspirin and pack of water bottles.

Silence.

After a moment, she broke the sealed wrapping around the water pack, and plucked out a single bottle of water. She thought about avoiding it in case it was drugged, but then she remembered that she had two bumps on her neck where she'd been injected with something.

She looked at the aspirin again with yet another sigh. "Well, if I was Roofied with a needle then that's my attacker's preferred drugging methodology; there's no reason the person would make fake aspirin or drug sealed water bottles if they preferred using syringes."

She thought about it for another moment, followed by a sharp exhale of frustration.

"This is stupid." She set her communicator back down on the charging pad, built into the control dash. "I'm acting stupid. I'm a trained mercenary. I have survived the end of civilization as I knew it. I adapted. I will survive this." She took a deep breath, held it, then exhaled nice and slow.

Krystal took another deep breath, held it for a few seconds, popped the aspirin, drank down a little more than half the water in the bottle, and took a banana from the fruit basket.

She exhaled in a huff of indignation and annoyance.

"What even happened yesterday?"

Silence.

"Let alone the last _two_ days." Krystal picked her personal communicator back up. She stepped outside of the pod, thumbed through her contacts, found Bill again, and dialed his number.

Bill Grey's voicemail replied. "_You've reached Colonel William Grey of the Corneria Air Guard. I'll be away from the phone a few days, so just leave a message at the tone_."

Krystal sighed. She planned on asking for an extraction from Sauria, but he wasn't answering. Instead, she simply said, "I heard you're looking for pilots. This is Krystal … call me back whenever … I saw a flyer and it mentioned full medical benefits and using any past experience toward starting at a slightly higher rank, you know, when coming out of training." She thought about telling him of her weird predicament, but she decided against it. "I remembered you saying you'd help fast-track my career a few months ago, when you spoke to me on the Miracle mission. You probably know, by now, I'm off that team for good. I'm looking for something stable and permanent. Something reliable. Something to help me start my life over. Maybe something to help me pay my bills once I get a place. You know what I mean."

She ended the call with yet one more soft sigh, and then she turned back to the mysteriously modified escape pod. She opened the engine access panel from the inside of the pod, and stared at the modification from the interior access hatch.

Silence.

Krystal narrowed her gaze, staring at the modifications. "So, can I trust you?" She continued her inquiry in her mind, regardless of not having any other Cerinian around to hear her. '…_Or should I ask someone else for help getting off Sauria_?'

This was all so … weird. Why did she lose time? Did she _really_ see Andross, or was that some sort of fever-dream?

She noticed something else … she wasn't harboring anger about Cerinia anymore. At least not right now. Her shoulders felt less tense. In fact, she felt less tense overall and all over, despite feeling stiff. And, upon reflecting on her personal feelings about Cerinia, her heart felt a bit lighter. Upon further reflection, she realized that her burdened spirit felt … renewed.

She thought back to the situation with Fox. Okay. She _didn't_ feel _completely_ unburdened. She was still angry about Fox McCloud's betrayal.

Maybe, during her two days of losing time, she'd put her frustrations, concerning Cerinia, behind her. Maybe just temporarily? She couldn't be sure. It would have to be something she'd meditate on later, but when it came to Fox McCloud? She still felt angry and betrayed.

_Fox McCloud_.

Krystal grimaced at the mere thought of him. The fur on her neck bristled, causing the bumps on either side of her neckline to hurt a little bit more.

After a moment of deliberation, Krystal dialed a number she _never_ thought she'd call. But with every ring, it felt righter than the last.

On the fourth ring, Panther Caroso answered the line. "_Please, tell me this isn't a prank call … or a butt-dial_…"

"I'm not butt-dialing. I'm '_anger_' dialing. I – I'm sorry. This … maybe this was a bad idea." She began pacing.

"_Wait! Wait, wait. Krystal, there has to be a reason you felt the need to call. Whatever the reason is? Just tell me. Are you all right? Safe? I can be on my way if you tell me where you are_."

"No, it isn't anything like that. I'm embarrassed because Fox just kicked me off his team. He said flying for him was too dangerous. Look, just forget I called, Panther. I was calling you out of anger at Fox. But I'm not interested in stooping so low as to just jump into your arms."

"_Krystal, wait. Panther understands. You're not calling Panther to get back at Fox. You're calling because you don't have anyone you trust to whom you can turn_."

"If you're going to talk about yourself in the third person, I'm hanging up right now." Her pacing took her outside of the pod, once more. Then back in. Then back out, again.

"_I am sorry. It's a habit. Part of the persona I have made for myself while under Star Wolf's employ. Listen, we fought together. We have that bond. And, yes, it really is a bond. When you survive a battle together, a bond is built. I consider you a friend. And, I'm hoping, the reason you called me is because you consider _me_ a friend, as well_."

Krystal sighed. She realized that she'd been sighing _a lot_ since waking up.

She stole a glance over her shoulder at the escape pod sitting on the top of Krazoa Palace. She looked up at the evening sky, but there was no sign of the Great Fox. She was disgusted and annoyed that McCloud didn't follow her.

She looked down at her bare ring finger, followed by a shake of her head. "I told Fox…" She paused to take a deep breath. "I told him if kicks me off the team, it would be an unforgivable betrayal."

"_Why would he feel his work is too dangerous for you? You have worked together for years_."

"We talked about the possibility of having a family, and he told me that it would be safer for me to raise a family in a nice house while he finishes making Lylat safe enough for our children. He wouldn't even let me join him on his newest mission. He fired me, saying he refused to be responsible for allowing the last Cerinian to die."

"_And … what did _you_ do in reply to his betrayal_?"

Krystal scoffed. "I told him how I feel! If he's going to risk his fur, I'm going to be right there, risking mine with him. I'm not going to live out my life like a military wife, raising my child on the other side of Lylat, while he's out there fighting whatever threatens Lylat next. I'm not built for that."

"_I agree. He cannot shame you that way, and then expect you to raise his household from afar. That is not how relationships work. They are done as a team. An inseparable team_."

"Exactly!" she exclaimed. "God. I can't believe I just got kicked off of Team StarFox." She sighed softly, shook her head, and added, "I broke up with him for firing me."

"_I cannot understand one thing. Why would he do this? You are an exceptional pilot_."

"He said it wasn't safe."

"_Yes, but I'm asking in general – why would he do this thing? It makes no sense_."

"Yeah, no kidding."

Panther asked, "_What do friends do in this situation? I've not much experience with it … wait, what about lunch? On me_."

"It's nighttime, Panther."

"_Ah. I wasn't sure where you are_."

"I'm headed to Corneria Capital City … I can be there in … thirty-six hours."

"_I can meet you in time for Breakfast if you wish. Let me treat. Please. Nothing inappropriate. Just a meal as friends_."

"I … don't know…"

"_I will be a gentleman. Thirty-six hours, that will give you time to rest and be refreshed before we meet up_."

"I … probably won't sleep. Not after this. No point in trying. But … I _will_ probably be hungry when I arrive. Can you meet me there?"

"_Yes, my friend. I will see you when you arrive. And, I do not care what Fox McCloud says – MY offer is still valid_."

"What offer is that?"

"…_That you can fly on _my_ wing __**anytime**_."

Krystal chuckled, sniffled, and then sighed. Again. "See you in about thirty-six hours. Thanks … friend."

"_That is what friends do for one another. I am wrapping up something small, here, on Titania. Then, I will head to Corneria. I shall see you soon_!" Panther disconnected from his end.

"Titania," she whispered to herself. "I was there just yesterday, wasn't I?" Krystal looked down at her communicator. She had a text from Bill Grey.

Distracted from double-checking on her previous whereabouts, she checked the text, first. It read, '_Hey. Got your voice mail but can't talk on the phone right now. You want to try out for the Cornerian Army Air Guard? Meet me at headquarters in a few days_."

She replied with a text, which read, "_A few days? Are you on Titania_?"

After a moment, Bill's response appeared on her screen."_I can't talk about the job right now. Sounds like you still have some great mercenary connections, though. Anyway, I get back from my mission before the start of the weekend. If you're serious, I'll have you fitted for a helmet and HUD visor before week's end_."

Krystal sighed softly. She had options. But … she didn't have Fox. And that hurt. That hurt more than she knew how to process.

She thumbed her communicator's screen, replying with, "_See you then, Bill. Look forward to working together_."

X

X

_Seven __**months**__ later_…

**Krystal glanced at her Cornerian-issued military smartwatch.** She pushed the canopy open on her Cornerian G16-E fighter.

She reached up, put her paws on the rim of the cockpit, lifted herself from it, and then she kicked her legs over the side. She rested her rump on the edge of the cockpit, and, with a grunt, she acrobatically launched herself onto the ladder as it rolled up alongside her fighter.

She hurried down the steel frame ladder, putting most of her weight on her palms against the railing, and landed on the flight deck with a thump.

One of the flight crew ladies saluted her … some enlisted girl that had impure thoughts about the shapely blue vixen.

Krystal saluted in return. "Chief," she said in acknowledgement. The woman's impure thoughts didn't bother Krystal. On Cerinia, everyone's impure thoughts were open and exposed.

Instead, Krystal admired the woman's ability to remain professional. She knew that everyone had impure thoughts about something at some point. But it was those who didn't act upon such thoughts that Krystal found to be exceptional people.

Krystal hurried across the flight deck. She pushed open an office door, leading into the debriefing room.

Bill turned to face her. "Hey! I saw that dismount onto the ladder. Pretty slick, ace!"

"Heh, thanks."

"Aren't we supposed to have drinks for your promotion from ensign to Lieutenant? Second fasted promotion in history!"

"Drinks are on me, just not tonight, boss. Sorry!"

Bill chuckled. "You've been putting it off for _three months_, Krystal. Anyway, I saw you run across the hanger deck. You in a hurry?"

"Yeah, kind of."

Bill laughed with a shake of his head. "Well, okay then! It was a standard patrol. Go on with your debrief … surely my star lieutenant can make time for debriefing protocol."

Krystal saluted, waited for a reply gesture, then announced, "My wingman and I flew a four-point standard patrol route. We engaged pirates at the first nav-point. They were picking clean whatever was left from the remains of war-aged cap ships … an un-salvaged fleet destroyed by Imperial Venom. When I saw the pirates on my scope, I radioed them. They tried hiding in the hanger of a derelict carrier. It masked their flag transmitter, but I sensed them. We engaged. I took down four fighters. My wingman destroyed the engines of a corvette being used for stealing parts. Between the two of us, we dusted the pirate group."

"Very nice. Nav 2?"

"At nav-point number two: no action, no joy." Krystal cleared her throat. "At Nav-3, we met some sloppy-seconds flying for Venom's rebel guard. These morons still think the war is on. We chased them toward the jumpgate before they could report to … whoever they think is their leader. I killed both, my wing-mate struck out." She shifted her weight, and said, "Finally, at Nav-4, more pirates. I took four, my wingman smoked two."

"All right, what about the corvette at Nav-1?"

"After my wingmate shot out its engines, I finished it off."

"All right, good."

"Sorry I wasn't clearer about that. Total kill score: Ten kills for me, plus one corvette. For my wing-mate, two kills and a much-appreciated-assist on the corvette."

Bill shook his head with a chuckle. "You keep this up, there won't be anything left to kill in this galaxy. You're my star starfighter, Krystal. You're also up for another promotion already."

Krystal blinked. "Wait, _another _promotion? I've not even been flying for a year."

"Yeah, but you're my star pilot. You've earned the 'ace' ribbon way back during your second sortie. And now? Now, well, you're averaging three times as many kills as my second-best team. Whoever flies with you sings your praises. Pilots argue with each other about who gets to fly with you. I mean, hell, _I've_ flown with you and _I'm_ impressed. You're no joke no matter what ship you're piloting. You've even helped pull people out of rear echelon jobs; you've given pilots the confidence to fight with purpose again. You do this inside _and_ outside the cockpit."

"I … I do?"

Bill nodded firmly. "You've helped administrative and supply duty personnel to step up their game by being encouraging, reassuring, and supportive, yet firm. You don't take shit from anyone, and you demand them to be at their best. You tell people what they need to hear to get the most out of each soldier. It's … actually pretty inspiring."

Krystal chuckled inwardly, not used to such praise. "I, uh … well, being telepathic helps, I'm sure."

"Yeah, well, you keep using that. You've broken up two fistfights this month. You've smoothed things over between a two star General and a two stripe Admiral."

"How'd you know about that?" asked Krystal with her brows furrowed.

Bill chuckled. "What can I say? I'm one of the only people who know about that. And _you_ didn't tell anyone, so that proves you can keep your mouth shut on sensitive issues."

"I was in the right place at the right time to help them talk things out."

"You're a natural diplomat _and_ a natural-born-ace, Krystal. You've got the highest kill-score of any active pilot for the entire year … and that's after you entered service later than the others. Krystal, you're on the fast track to taking _my job_ at this rate. You'll be the first colonel, made in under a decade, to be carrying around the Football for the Prime Minister. Then comes _General_ Krystal."

Krystal chuckled and shook her head. Her beaded hair strands bounced against her cheeks. "Okay, okay. No other action on this sortie. Am I dismissed, sir?"

"So, why're you in a hurry? You got a hot date?"

Krystal outright laughed. "Yeah, a date with recreation flying in the Cloudrunner. There're some modifications I want to make to it. I'm meeting someone who has a part I need. I might even grab a meal somewhere off world, but if it gets much later, I'll have to scrap my authentic Titanian taco craving for another night. Anything else, Colonel?"

"No, Lieutenant. I've put the paperwork through for your promotion to Captain. It'll take about two weeks before the paperwork goes through, there will be a ceremony … the same thing you went through when you went from Ensign to Lieutenant."

"I remember," said Krystal. "Was only three months ago. Seems a bit fast, not that I am complaining."

This time it was Bill who laughed. "Yeah, you might not have been the fastest person to be promoted from Ensign to First Lieutenant, but you definitely broke a record for the shortest time as a Lieutenant in the Cornerian Army's history. You'll be beating the previous record by three weeks."

"Why is it that the Navy and Coast Guard use Ensign for first rank officers, and the Army, Marines, and Air Force use 'Second Lieutenant,' but the Army _Air Guard_ uses _Ensign_, just like the Navy and the Cost Guard? I mean, I was looking into the history of Corneria's ranking, and, correct me if I'm wrong, but, well, wasn't the original Cornerian space branch part of the Air Force?"

Bill nodded firmly. "It was. And then it became its own group, in the same way as the Marines split away from the Navy. But that branch eventually became focused on space exploration, orbital defense, and interplanetary supply-line defense. When General Pepper was tasked with handling a war against Venom, he created a sub-branch of the Army to handle system-wide offensive strikes. That led to the Army Air Guard. It's O-1 position is 'Ensign,' and capital ships are treated like maritime vessels, but the ranking structure to follow Ensign follows the soldier ranking, not the sailor ranking. Complicated, huh?"

"It's all a bit barmy. But I'm not one to complain. I heard there is a really nice pay jump going to O-3, so … that's a lovely thing."

Bill afforded her a wry grin. "The real question is … how fast can you make it to _major_?"

"You want me to break _that_ record, huh? Easy-peasy, with you as my CAG."

Bill grinned, amused by her telepathy. "Yeah, the pay jump to O-6 is pretty nice, too, Krystal. But right now, focus on O-4. The fastest pilot to make Major in _any_ branch was an Air Force pilot. I want that record to be held by an Army Air Guard pilot. Think you can do it?"

Krystal grimaced. "It was James McCloud, huh?"

"Can't get anything by you, Lieutenant Krystal. Say, are you ever going to take a last name?"

"A surname? No. I'll always be Krystal of Cerinia, unless I find someone whose surname is worth taking."

"Fair enough, Lieutenant. Well, congrats. The promotion is effective now, pay-wise, so you'll get retroactive pay from now to when your rank increases officially. Whatever work you do between now and in two weeks will show a bump on your next check. The official promotion ceremony is in two weeks from today. At noon. You'll receive your double-bars, or as Cornerian pilots call them … our twin blasters."

"Good to know. All right, Colonel. Enough tarrying about. If there's nothing else…?"

Bill shook his head. "Must be _some_ date."

Krystal shook her head with a chuckle. Again, her beads bounced about. "You're too much."

"I mean, you and I went to the movies a few times. I know it wasn't appropriate but … it wasn't bad, right?"

"No, it wasn't bad, love. But, as you said, it wasn't appropriate."

"Dating etiquette has always been to kiss a girl goodnight after the third date…"

Krystal shook her head and forced a weak smile. Things just got awkward. She reached up and patted the side of his face. "Have a great night, Bill."

"You, too, Krystal. You're a promising wing commander. Keep up the great work. You've really been great with these kids. I've received constant feedback from these kids, saying that you've been amazing as a mentor – you consistently make sure they come home with a kill-score on every sortie. You haven't lost a single pilot, and your escort rating is flawless – the only pilot in the fleet, so far, who hasn't lost a single ship she's escorting."

"Thanks! But I haven't been flying nearly as long as most of the other pilots my rank."

"Well, yeah, but you have more experience than other pilots at your rank. You're a legend to most of my pilots, Krystal. They all want to fly with the '_babes of Star Fox_.' You, Miyu, Fay. Maybe the three of you should consider forming a squadron. You could be Corneria's secret weapon, heh."

"What, like Charlie's Angels? And _you_ could be Charlie, giving us our missions?"

Bill laughed. "Oh … oh, _wow_. You know, I never even thought of it like that. That was quick."

She arched one brow and furrowed the other.

Bill grinned. "That clever wit I love about you."

"Oh, so _that_ is what you love about me, is it?"

Bill tensed up a little. "You know what I mean."

"Uh-huh. It's honestly best to let Miyu and Fay continue their work of helping other pilots step up their flying game. Putting the three of us together may hurt how much we help the young pilots with whom we fly."

"Well, I guess you, uh, have a pretty good point. But if there were ever a situation where I needed an All-Star team to strike at the heart of Venom, I wouldn't hesitate to pair the three of you ladies."

"Mm, we could call the team, '_Kissed by StarFox_.'"

"Wait, even Fay?"

"Even Fay. Oh, come off it, mate. Surely you knew that already."

"No, not really."

"Mm. Awkward as you like, then, isn't it?"

Bill immediately sought to change the subject. "Oh, and hey, are you ever going to get a place on the base, or maybe get yourself an apartment in town?"

"What? No! I _like_ living out of the Cloudrunner. At least for right now. I'm saving up all my dosh before any big decisions." She glanced at her watch.

"Okay, okay, you're dismissed, pilot."

"Okay, brilliant! Well, thanks for the chat! I'll be gallivanting about Lylat for a bit!" Krystal hurried out of Bill's office. "See ya' next patrol, boss!"

Bill shook his head with a soft chuckle.

Krystal dashed out the back door to the debriefing office, across the hall, and into the locker room.

She approached her locker. She opened it with a thumbprint, stripped her clothes, balled them up, and stuffed them at the bottom of the locker. She reached up and withdrew her civilian clothes from a set of hangers. She hung them up on the outside of her locker.

Her wingmate from today's patrol came into the women's locker room. "Krystal! I … uh, I was hoping to run into you…"

Krystal grinned back at the pilot. "You're welcome. You did a great job, Ensign."

"Second Lieutenant, actually," said the woman. "I'm a transfer from the main Army group. I know the Air Guard uses a few Navy ranks for the low ranks, but I kept my 'Second Lieutenant' rank."

"Oh, right. Well, I was in a hurry, and I wanted to rinse clean before I put on civie-clothes. We'll catch up soon, Second Lieutenant." She headed for the shower poles at the far end of the locker room.

"Thanks again for helping me out, ma'am." The white cocker spaniel looked like Fay Spaniel, but without a hair bow. Her face was a reminder that Fox McCloud kissed other women. She saluted her superior officer.

Krystal threw a towel over her shoulder, wearing nothing else. "We'll grab a cold one and catch up next time I am in the pilot's lounge. Take care!" She returned the salute. Krystal dashed to the shower, lathered up and rinsed before the water could get fully hot, then she hurried over to the auto-drying arch, which air-blasted her dry in under ninety seconds.

By the time she came back into the locker room, the other pilot was already gone.

Krystal hurried back to her locker, dressed quickly, and stepped into her shoes.

She took the back exit from the locker room, hurried outside to the employee parking lot, and ran through the line of various Cornerian automobiles.

Past the parking lot, up on the hill, near the razor-wire fence, was the Cloudrunner.

She placed her paw on the hull by the hatch, and the side entrance rolled up. A ramp slid down, stopping in front of her feet. She stepped into her make-shift RV home, shut the hatch door, and carefully made her way through the small messy pile of clothes on the floor.


	16. Moonlighting

Chapter -16-  
_Moonlighting_

**Krystal kicked her clothing pile into the corner** for the moment. She deliberated on cleaning up first, but after checking her watch, she decided to do it later. She removed her watch and set it on a magnetic charging base, exhaled through semi-clenched teeth, and walked past her bed to a small archway, leading up to the Cloudrunner cockpit.

She slid into the seat up at the front, booted the computer, followed by the engines, then called in to the flight tower. "This is Lieutenant Krystal; I need permission to leave the atmosphere in my personal ship."

"_Heard about your promotion! Congratulations, _Captain!"

She chuckled softly. "Thanks. Not for two more weeks, but thanks. I appreciate it."

"_You have clearance! Just hurry, because our next squadron is landing in seven minutes_."

"I'll be out of the atmosphere before that. Have a good night, Franklin." She thumbed the maneuvering thrusters' throttle bar. The Cloudrunner lifted off and quickly gained some altitude, rising away from the parking lot.

"_You, too, Captain Krystal! Thanks_!"

Krystal pulled back on the control bar and pushed forward on the throttle. The Cloudrunner tilted up and roared into the sky. She had to admit … Captain Krystal had a sort of … ring … to it.

Within four minutes, she passed through the stratosphere, into the ionosphere. Another moment, and she was breaking orbit from Corneria.

Krystal opened an encrypted channel on the nearest communications buoy. She leaned forward and spoke into the microphone built into the dashboard. "Sargasso outpost." A pause, then, "Panther Caroso."

A moment later, his deep, creamy voice came over the speakers built into her cockpit. "_Krystal! Where are you? We're prepping for launch_."

"I'll meet you boys at the job. Send me the coordinates. Work ran late."

"_Why are you even flying for the army again? Just fly for us full time_."

Krystal scoffed. "You're outlaws. Moonlighting for Star Wolf is one thing, but I have bills to pay."

"_What bills_?" he asked with a laugh. "_You live out of your ship. All that cargo space … wasted on an apartment-on-the-go, instead of being used to haul valuables_."

"Hey," she said with a laugh. "I'm out here getting _paid_ to take out _your competition_. Don't forget it."

"_Oh, I won't. Wolf appreciates it, even though he doesn't say much about it_."

"Wolf just wants me flying for him because it amuses him to have stolen a pilot from Star Fox."

"_Admit it, you're happy to fly with a team that doesn't have any idiots or jocks_."

"Are you talking about Fox and Falco? Because…"

"_No, Slippy Toad and Falco_."

"Slippy wasn't an idiot. He's a genius."

"_If you say so_."

"Not only do frogs have the ability to see color in completely pitch-black darkness, he could wire up a broken G-diffuser, or build an engine in a completely enclosed area with zero light. Seeing color in the dark means he would even correctly wire up the wires by color. He might not be as accomplished of a pilot as the rest of the team, but he wasn't an idiot."

"_I notice you didn't defend Falco_."

"That's because Falco is a typical fighter jock. However, as entitled as he may act, he wasn't the annoying one of the group."

"_Mm, yes. That was Slippy Toad's job_."

"No, Panther. Fox was the annoying one of the group."

Panther laughed over the line. "_More annoying than the frog? That says a lot, Krystal_."

"All right, all right. I'll meet you at the job."

"_See you then, beautiful_."

"Uh-huh." She closed the channel. A moment later, she received a message of coordinates from an 'unknown source.' She plugged the coordinates into her autopilot, engaged at high speed, using the mysterious engine modification that she received back on Sauria seven months ago, and she walked to the back of her ship to straighten up, starting with the clothes on the deck.

She put everything into a laundry basket and kicked it into the far corner. It tilted over, half-spilling the clothes in the corner, but she paid the pile no mind.

Instead, she opened her closet, and withdrew a Star Wolf uniform from a lock box at the back of the closet. A wry grin tugged at her muzzle.

She stripped off her civilian clothes, tossed them on the bed, and carried her uniform to the bathroom. She draped everything over the sink, opened the shower stall, and stepped in.

This time, it was more than a wash and rinse.

She took her time in the shower to keep her body's hormones in check.

She had no intentions of sleeping with Panther Caroso, no matter how badly she wanted to mate.

She hated being the last known Cerinian … all she ever thought about was finding ways to get pregnant. But her career came first, and she wasn't even sure if she could get pregnant with Panther.

She lowered to her knees, beneath the floating water mist. It swirled around her in the lower force of the artificial gravity net inside of her ship's deck. It was set even lower than the lunar surface of Miracle.

She closed her eyes, and imagined a handsome fantasy man cupping either side of her face in his strong paws, and slanting his lips over hers. Maybe a long lost Cerinian male that also survived the catastrophe? Someone who could understand her, appreciate her, and truly respect her the way she craved.

It was a nice fantasy.

Much better.

_That_ was what she needed.

The fog in her brain cleared up, leaving her mind clear and sharp again.

So.

Much.

Better.

Her jaw quivered. She exhaled through partially clenched teeth.

Her heart began to calm.

After, Krystal used shampoo on her pelt, she lathered up, then she rinsed clean.

She brushed her teeth in the shower, spit into the drain, used the detachable water wand to rinse her 'undercarriage.'

She felt awake and refreshed more so now than ever.

Krystal put the water wand back on its clip above her head, turned off the shower, and stepped out. She toweled herself dry, picked up a hairdryer, blow-dried her headfur, and stepped out of the bathroom.

Afterward, she dressed in her Star Wolf outfit.

Krystal put her laundry basket in the bathroom, filled it with bras and panties, and closed the door. She left the pile of shirts and pants in a small pile in the corner of the bedroom.

She rubbed her face with a sigh and threw away paper bowls and plastic cups on her nightstand. She sighed in frustration at the sight of the trash.

Krystal made sure to throw away everything on her nightstand and anything that had fallen on the deck beneath her bed.

After straightening up her living space, she made her way up to the cockpit and wiggled into the seat.

She pulled the harness over herself, clicked it into place, and opened a channel to Star Wolf. "Am I too late?"

Wolf came over the speakers. "_Hey, kid. Nah, you're good. You look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for having just worked a long-ass patrol_."

"Cerinia didn't have coffee. Lylat, on the other hand, well … I live on it, now."

"_Shit, no coffee? To hell with that. Wait, is your hair wet_?"

"Yeah, so? I can't be arsed with a blow dryer, Wolf. Anyhow, what's the job?"

"_Man … I need a Wolfen with a shower in it. Ah, whatever. Okay. I'm sending you the job file. Stand by. We've got to break into two teams to get this right_."

"How about the short run down?"

"_Yeah, whatever, I guess. You and your boyfriend are going to take this rich fool hostage. The file says he'll be on his personal yacht, but I've seen jobs like this before where the target was on some pre-war destroyer or corvette outfitted for their needs_."

"Well, since I don't have a boyfriend, I guess I'm doing this part of the job alone. Anyhow, go on."

"_You know who I'm talking about. Smartass._ _Feel free to rough up the target – he's a fuckin' child molester_."

Krystal's eyes widened. "Say what?"

"_You heard me. Arrested twice for it. Conviction overturned both times on bullshit technicalities_."

"You're serious?"

"_Goddamn right I am, kid. Had the cases thrown out due to having a good lawyer and lots of money. Anyway, while you and your boyfriend take this guy, Leon and I will be putting the screws to the guy the pervert is supposed to be meeting. That slob will be carrying a briefcase from a prior sale, a few hours ago, that's gonna fund the team's operational costs for at least three months_."

"First of all, Panther _isn't_ my boyfriend. Secondly, why is this pervert meeting someone?"

Wolf chuckled with a sneer. "_What do _you_ think? Child trafficking, of course_."

"So that we're bloody clear, my mark is buying or selling a child today?"

"_Yeah, you heard that right. The rich fool you're taking hostage. Yeah, rumor has it that he's meeting the other douchebag to buy twins from some _other_ scumbag rich asshole. I'm not in the business of saving people, but, I mean, fucking … kids? That's goddamn disgusting_."

"Yeah, it is. I'll confirm it when I'm in range of reading the beastly little wank."

"_It's funny to hear you talk when you get mad. You say weird shit that makes no sense. But, I get it. Child molesters piss me off. I hate everyone, but sickos like _that_ have no-damn-place in society_."

"I know how you feel about people, Wolf. I can sense your hatred for almost everyone. However, I _can't_ sense that you've ever had a bad experience, so, out of curiosity, why the extra hatred for perverts?"

"_Seriously, kid, it isn't like people need a reason to hate child molesters._ _That shit's not natural_."

"Not natural? Seriously?"

"_Goddamn right_."

"Are you suggesting that other criminal activity _is_ normal?"

Wolf scoffed. "_Okay, so, wanting to loot the rich? That's natural. But raping kids? That's not natural. Even if they're a victim, themselves, they know that shit is beyond wrong. They do it anyway. That's a level of sickness that shouldn't exist. I read this shit that says the brain grows until, like, 24 or 25 years old. These old sickos target younger people because its easy. Those are the people who need to be weeded out and shot. I've seen some shit during the war. War brings out the worst in people because people get in touch with their most fucked up instincts. Those are the people I love killing the most. I don't even need a paycheck to kill those sick pervs; I'd do it for fun_."

Krystal blinked at his long-winded response. "You know I'm telepathic, right?"

Wolf groaned. "_Nicky had a bad experience. Okay? No use lying to a goddamn telepath. No one else even knows about Nicky, except for Leon. So, keep your yap shut about her_."

She nodded in agreement. "All right. I can respect that answer. You want this guy to suffer? I'm up for it. But, uh, what happens to the children being sold if you find them?"

"_Oh, they're supposed to be on location. No confirmation from the source I'm using, but, pfft, you can bet your blue bottom they'll be there. We're putting the kids back on this dude's ship, setting the autopilot for the nearest planet, probably Katina, and then we're letting the Cornerian Army figure out where their parents are at. I don't need to be a hero to kids. That's not my scene. All I care about is money from those sick shits_."

"Will you kill them?"

"_Unfortunately, that ain't the job. I'm going to beat them senseless, but not enough to die from their injuries, kid. I'm being paid to make a statement, not to leave bodies_."

"Understood. What about my part of the job?"

"_Your target will probably be carrying physical cash for the purchase. My guy has that briefcase, plus access to a safe with a big-ass diamond I'm selling on the black market_."

"Black market?"

"_Yeah, already got a buyer lined up, too. This diamond has historical value to some chumps with a lot of coin_."

"Brilliant." Krystal smiled a bit. "It sounds like you found the team a good score."

"_You kidding? I get the __**best**__ scores. I might have been stupid to do mercenary work for Andross all those years ago, but when it comes to piracy? I'm the goddamn best there is_."

Krystal chuckled. "All right, Wolf. You're the best there is."

"_The goddamn BEST there is_."

"All right, all right. I believe you. I swear, I'm not about to wind you up."

"_Fine, kid. It goddamn helps that you're using the Cornerian Army to take out the competition. Is that what you wanted to hear_?"

"You're welcome. See you boys soon."

"_I mean it … rough that guy up before you rob him. He's a goddamn pervert. It's sick. He's sick_."

"Once upon a time, I was studying to be a healer."

"_Yeah? You should definitely help him out if you know what I mean_."

"Oh, I'll help him out. After all, he can't lie to me."

"_That's why I'm giving you the guy with the cash. So that you can 'handle' him. Also, there's another part of the job involving … well, you'll see when you get the file_."

"Something to do with a … syndicate member?"

"_I love that you're the real deal with this telepathic shit. So, yeah, it's all part of your end, kid. This ship you're hunting … if it really is a yacht, as suggested, I think you should take it. I expect it to be a beat-up corvette, though. If that's the case, do whatever you want with that crap. Scrap it or set it adrift. I don't give a damn about an old beat-up corvette – I can't sell that garbage_."

Krystal grinned. Her personal communicator chimed. "All right. I just got your instructions. I'll meet Panther at the coordinates."

"_Good, kid. Real good. I'll meet up with you in the morning with the spoils. Dock your fighters to his yacht and take it for a spin if you want. Avoid Cornerian military patrols … obviously. If there's no yacht, well, whatever. You should probably know one more thing_."

"I'm listening…"

"_You'll literally have to dock with and board the ship, and that bit about a syndicate member you sensed? They'll have hired protection. Read the file. Panther will fill you in on the convoluted parts. Look, I didn't give you guys the easy part of the job. But, like I said, Panther will explain_."

"Because he likes to talk so much?"

"_You're a quick one, kid_."

"You're talking as much as Panther right now, Wolf. This mark is loaded, then, yeah?"

"_Yeah, I've got some bills to pay, and I need this cash. So_?"

"Not judging you, mate."

"_Good. Anyhow, I'll see ya' in the morning_."

"See you, Wolf." She closed the channel and put in the new coordinates, which took her to where Panther was waiting for a private yacht in the next sector over.

Her computer chimed. A message on the screen showed that there was a tight-band encrypted message that arrived from one of the subspace comm-buoys in a nearby sector.

She didn't want to look at a picture of the pervert just yet. She wanted children so badly. The idea of looking at an image of a man known for trafficking minors for sex was beyond offensive to her. She was still high from her time in the shower earlier; she didn't want to ruin that by looking at the smug face of a pervert. That could wait until a little later.

For now, she had another forty-five minutes of autopilot.

Krystal made her way back to her bed. She sat down on the end of the mattress, closed her eyes, and tried to clear her mind to the best of her ability.

She focused on her breathing. In for four seconds, then out slower for eight seconds. She counted each second, but not the breaths she took.

Once she was in a rhythm, she meditated on finding her center. She focused on calming the storm raging in her mind and body.

She put all of her impure thoughts about Bill, Panther, and, worst of all, going back to Fox, completely out of her mind.

She cleared her thoughts, and focused on her own needs, and how to fulfill them. Not her need to restart her race … that was honestly more of a 'want.' No, she focused on her need to provide for herself, on her own, with the contacts she'd made since arriving in Lylat.

She focused on an old vision she had long ago … a visualization of being the best version of herself.

She focused on wanting to stay professional and sharp.

And then there was a distraction. Something far away. A beacon to draw her back out of her meditation. A beacon … no … a _beeping_.

Krystal opened her eyes. She uncrossed her legs, climbed off the end of her bed, and hurried up to the cockpit. She ducked going through the arch, leading up to the front of her ship, and grasped onto a handlebar built on the side of her seat.

She pulled herself up to the cockpit, settled into the chair, and tapped on a touch screen built into her dash.

Panther Caroso appeared translucently on her cockpit HUD. "_Krystal_!" he exclaimed. "_There you are_!"

"Uh-huh." She reached up, grasped her harness, and pulled it down over herself, until the safety belt clicked into place. A warning light on her dash went out, ending its protest of her need for a restraint.

Krystal wiggled her hips, getting comfortable in her seat. "I was on autopilot in the back."

"_Doing_ …_what_?"

She furrowed her brows. "How is it that everything you say, ask, or utter somehow sounds sexual and perverted?"

"_It's a natural tal_…"

"No," she interrupted. "It's not. I mean, unless you think that being creepy is somehow a talent."

"_Krystal, I just speak in a smooth voice because of my birthright. I have to_."

"Meaning?"

Panther chuckled in a guttural way, deep down in his chest. "_Meaning that if I spoke with my diaphragm, it would be a roar. That's due to my species. I really have no alternative but to speak in a provocative-sounding whisper. I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. It's just how I've adapted to speaking at a pleasant volume_."

"I've seen other similar cats since arriving in Lylat. You're the only one who talks dramatically like that."

"_To be honest, I was hoping you would say that you were taking a shower, but I assumed you were cleaning your weapons, doing laundry, or some other … menial but important task_."

"I, uh … I was meditating, actually."

"_Oh. I've never tried that_."

"It's healthy for you."

"_I don't always eat healthy … I enjoy simple indulgences. But, when it comes to a healthy mind, I am open to different ways of maintaining one's mental health. If you say it's healthy, I would be willing to learn if you are willing to teach_."

"I don't know," Krystal trailed off with a shrug. "I mean, it's important to stay quiet and focused for a long period of time."

Again, Panther chortled in his devious sort of way. "_I understand the basics of meditation. At least that much. I also understand there is a science to it. Sitting with good posture and saying '_omm_' isn't how it's done, I'm sure, else any idiot would have mastered it. So, if you are willing to teach, I am willing to learn_."

Krystal opened her mouth, ready to protest, but she found herself surprised by his reply. She closed her muzzle, tilted her head while eyeing him, then, finally, she nodded. "All right. What, exactly, do you think meditation is?"

"_I assume it's that moment when you are still awake, but before you fall asleep at night, where you have a eureka moment. You sit up at zero-dark-thirty, eyes wide, and you remember something you were trying to think of sixteen hours earlier, in a meeting. To me, meditation is likely the science of teaching your mind how to find that moment of inner peace without falling asleep_."

She eyed him. "Keep … going."

"_When your mind is busy enough to stay awake, but your body is relaxed, so you find a way to relax your mind as well, then, when you're centered, you reflect on whatever it is your mind needs. Answers, a break in personal conflict, a way to beat an opponent, a solution to a personal problem … things of that nature, and, sometimes, things of a deeper, possibly spiritual nature, depending on the reason for meditating_."

Krystal blinked. "Sometimes, you surprise me."

"_I know what you think of me. I'm not that_."

"Oh, you're a telepath, too? Bloody blinding!"

"_Ha. Funny. No, you think I'm just a grunt mercenary with a pocket full of Viagra, who wants nothing more than to copulate with any willing creature. You think my obsession with the rose is part of an act to ignite my confidence as part of a make-believe persona that I've created for myself as some sort of Casanova. To be honest, it's a calling card from my time as an assassin for hire. I only took jobs that had deep, relevant, personal meaning to me. Wolf hates that I've painted a rose on my Wolfen. He hates that I've taken art classes so I could paint it on my weapons, carve the rose into my bullets … I think he hates flowers in general_."

"He does?"

Panther grinned. "_They make him sneeze, heh_."

Krystal laughed at the last part of his explanation. She shook her head and rubbed her cheeks with her palms. "Okay, so you're a little more complicated than I was led to believe."

"_If I've misled you, well … shame on _you_. You're the telepath_."

"Mm-hmm, and I don't need to be a telepath to know that you're trying to have sex with me because I have '_tits and a heartbeat_,' Panther. There. I said it. I hung a big fat lantern right on it."

Panther chortled softly over the comms. "_I'm not trying to have sex with just anyone. Only with she who catches my eye _and_ my heart_."

"No, just she who catches your eye."

"_Just she who possesses a certain_ … je ne sais quoi, _you know_?"

"Oh, you're going to speak Fichina's old tongue, are you?"

"It's a beautiful language. You know, not all of Fichina is frozen. Near the equator, where the language still flourishes, it's quite beautiful, even when the climate control center is broken … which is rare. The capital of the naturally warmest continent on that world is a tropical paradise three-out-of-four seasons a year. It's a very _nice_ place called Nice," he said, pronouncing the city's name like _niece_.

"I've heard of it. An oasis in an icy desert. I understand that the city is full of aristocrats."

"_Aristo-_cats," Panther said with a soft chuckle. "_And artisans. Even when the rest of the world is frozen, as it often was in its old days, there is one continent on the equator, in a tiny bubble of a microclimate, where the city of Nice is always perfectly room temperature. It only rains before dawn and after dusk, and you only need a light jacket at midnight_."

"Yes, I have heard it's quite lovely, but that region is tiny. So small you can't even see it from space when the climate control center is down for repair."

"_Correct. It's only ten miles east to west by nine miles north to south_."

"I've always wanted to set foot on that world, but I _have_ flown around over Fichina."

"_It's where I was born. My assassinations were considered artwork of the highest caliber for a time, but I was never as artistic as those with whom I was raised_."

"Do you miss living in Nice?"

"_Sometimes. It's where my grandparents, maternal and paternal, were born. It's where my mother was born. It's where my paternal great-grandparents were born. Most of my family has lived in or near that city since ancient times, when it was built by the five tribes that came together as one_ People _over a treaty nearly a thousand years ago_."

"And you grew up to kill people. I take it that didn't run in the family?"

"_No, Krystal. They were appalled to learn that I was capable of committing a crime, let alone when I decided to go into business for myself as an enterprising criminal. But now? As a mercenary for the most wanted band of mercenary pirates in Lylat? They disowned me. I was barred and sued from using the family name_."

"You were?"

"_Yes. My actual surname is Caluroso. I go by Caroso to honor their wishes. Sometimes, I spell it 'Caruso' in business matters, as one of my pseudonyms_."

"I … am sorry to hear that you've been disowned by your family. At least they're still alive. So, maybe, one day, you can fix things … even if it's with future generations of the family."

"_Did you know the first people to build the climate control center was the Krazoa? It was always assumed that it was an ancient Fichinan race, until Sauria was properly studied. As it turns out, it was Fichinians who figured out how to repair it throughout history, but we never actually built it_."

"Wait, wasn't it you that sent Star Fox to Fichina during the Aparoid invasion?"

"_Yes. As I said, I was born there. I sent you there to stop the Aparoids and protect my homeworld. The equator was never in danger, but the climate control center was. I didn't want the Aparoids to gain control over that sort of technology. It was bad enough they managed to shut it down_."

"You told us to go there to follow Pigma Dengar!"

Again, Panther chortled in a provocative yet devious sounding way. "_You are so naïve, and it is truly the sweetest thing about you_."

"Well, we actually _did_ find Pigma Dengar there."

"_Yes, he was working with the Aparoids. As I said, I wanted you to protect my homeworld from aggressors_."

"So, you were banished, but you still wanted to make sure someone was protecting your home?"

"_Yes, precisely_."

"What if … you could fix things with your family?"

"_Again, you are adorably naïve. Ah, but who knows? Perhaps you are right; perhaps I should be more optimistic. Perhaps if I had an heir; perhaps if I had my name cleared. Perhaps if I changed my lifestyle, and if I professed to have found religion in my heart. Perhaps then my family would open their doors to me_._ But, first, I would have to have my name cleared_."

"Cleared? I thought you kill people. That's against the law."

"_I kill criminals with bounties on their heads. My kills are sanctioned by various planetary governments_."

"So, this is all a misunderstanding? You're a bounty assassin for hire. You haven't broken any laws, is that what you're saying?"

"_Mm, more or less. Except that I do not have an active bounty hunting license. One needs a license to hunt bounties. It costs too much to purchase such a license_."

"I've considered getting one."

"_Ah. I could teach you the art of hunting bounties if you're ever interested. The money is exceptional, if you have the stomach for being the judge, jury, and executioner of some of the worst scum in Lylat_."

"Wolf and Leon have bounties on their head. Why not cash in on them?"

Again, another guttural chuckle. "_Krystal, their only crime is working for the wrong side in a war that happened_ years ago. _The truth is far more complicated – they only pirate other pirates. They only steal from the guilty. Have you_ ever _heard of Star Wolf attacking a Phoenix star-liner or a rich yacht? Have you ever heard of Star Wolf attacking a supply depot or taking crops from a farm_?"

Krystal thought about his question for a moment. She shook her head. "No."

"_And has Wolf told you about today's target_?"

"A twice-convicted pedophile who somehow beat the charges in his appeal cases."

"_Yes, exactly. By bribing judges, destroying evidence, and either turning or killing witnesses. He gave the latest victim's brother a career job with benefits, including a massive signing bonus. The brother changed his story, saying that he had gone to therapy and now remembers things differently, upon 'deep reflection' of the situation from the past. Disgusting_."

"So … you really do have morals and scruples."

"_Of _course_ I do, Krystal. One day? I will clear my name. I will be back in my family's good graces. But, for now, I will do what it takes to survive. Wolf doesn't target just anyone; I work with him because I believe in his work_."

Krystal rubbed the bottom of her maw in thought. "Mm…"

"_Now, are you ready to work, my little moonlighter_?"

"Yeah. Er … yes. Yes, I am ready to work."

"_Excellent. Have you ever taken a life before_?"

"I, uh … I've shot down bogies. Not all of them had time to eject. So, yes, I have killed people before."

"_Have you ever killed an enemy up close and personal before_?"

Krystal exhaled slowly through her nose. "Yes. I was outside of my cockpit several times during the Aparoid invasion. I know those Aparoids were attached to biological persons, some of which whose minds were still their own to some degree. I know those people were _alive_ when I vaporized them with a blaster."

"_Krystal, that is arguably different than what I'm asking about. Have you ever looked into an enemy's eyes and watched the light go out of their gaze? Someone who chose to be opposite of you in battle_?"

She sighed softly. Her eyes dipped, briefly. In a softer tone, she replied, "Once, before I met Fox, I had to freeze an attacking Sharpclaw soldier. I shattered him with a quake attack. He didn't feel anything, but he died because of me. I did it to protect myself, and I came to terms with my actions. I would do it again if I had to."

"_I supposed that will have to do. Our pervert isn't a pedophile, though. He's a hebephile – he targets children whose age has reached the double-digits. Eleven through fourteen, specifically. His partner, with whom he operates a sex-trafficking ring, is known as an ephebophile, targeting children between the ages of fifteen and seventeen, although that one will also happily rape and sell youth as late as age nineteen. Any form of chronophilia is disgusting to me. Sex is beautiful and powerful … but the mind does not stop growing until roughly twenty-five for people of Lylat_."

"I think I've heard that somewhere before, yes. Twenty-four to twenty-five on average."

"_Mm, yes. That age, to me, is adulthood. Now, I'm not sure how it is in your race, but I am a teleiophile. When I desire a woman, it is because there is absolutely no doubt that she is a sexually-mature adult lady_."

"What … is a teleiophile?"

"_A person with a healthy sexual attraction to adults_," said Panther. "_Those over twenty-five with fully formed and fully functioning minds. I find_ you _attractive because of your mature, professional, and seasoned personality and appearance. The fact you have that special_ 'I do not know what' _about you is why I flirt with you so heavily. It's not intended to make you feel uncomfortable – it is intended to show you that I find you desirable; I find you both intellectually and physically attractive_."

"You lay it on a little thick, sometimes, Panther."

"_I do, yes. But, when I love, I love completely and deeply. I am not a cheat or a liar_."

"Yeah, but you're blinkered when it comes to the subject."

"_Meaning_?"

"You act like you're obsessed with sex."

"_Nonsense. I have never been diagnosed with hypersexuality disorder, although Wolf has accused me of such on more than one occasion_."

"I, uh … that's … so, uh, 'sex addiction' is a thing?"

"_Everything is a thing for someone. It's a big galaxy. There are a lot of people. Some are addicted to money, music, sex, drugs, alcohol, killing, video games, food … the list is endless. I knew a girl addicted to candles. Not fire, specifically, just candles. Different scents. Her abusive husband was one of my targets. She only stayed with him because he brought her candles from the furthest ends of Lylat. Her addiction kept her enthralled to him. She liked the sensation of hot wax cooling on her naked skin, so she shaved it down below her beltline_."

"I … uh … wow."

"_Mm. Wow indeed_." Panther sighed softly and shook his head. "_I could talk to you until late into the night. I adore it. But … we have a sex trafficking ring to break. We know that he cannot be beaten in a court. We know that he has, in fact, committed these crimes. We know that the evidence was deemed inadmissible by a corrupt judge who accepted a bribe, in the second case, where the evidence and witness couldn't be touched_…"

"What made Wolf target this guy?"

Panther laughed. "_Would you believe it? _He_ wanted to hire Wolf! He wanted Star Wolf to move his 'merchandise' to a safe place. He wanted to pay us to keep these children fed and locked up. I told Wolf he should have taken the job simply to let those children free_."

"Why didn't Wolf do it?"

"_Wolf is business smart. Smarter than most give him credit for, Krystal. Wolf knew that if he took possession of those children and let them free, this man would have turned it around to look like Wolf was the guilty one. Breaking a contract over something like morals would have hurt Wolf's business reputation with other potentially shady clients. Furthermore, we're up against a syndicate with a small army. Star Wolf is only three full-time members, and the job certainly doesn't pay enough to hire from Wolf's band of second-rate go-to mercenary members_."

"Go on," she said.

"_So, taking down the syndicate's leadership will destabilize the group. Then? We anonymously submit evidence that posthumously destroys our targets' credibility. The dead cannot defend themselves in a court of law_."

"You want to legally expose your targets after they're dead?"

"_Exactly right. The remainder of the syndicate cannot come after us if the evidence is submitted anonymously. Without the leadership, investigators will take apart the remains of the syndicate_."

"Not sure if that's rubbish or brilliant. Maybe a bit of both. Okay, without wittering on about this for _another_ twenty minutes, why don't you tell me what Star Wolf is getting out of this job besides a little money?"

"_Let's say we are completely successful in stopping these people and rescuing those children_…"

"Okay, I'm listening."

"_We don't receive any accolades, but one day, when Star Wolf clears its name, we will release evidence that we dismantled these syndicates and handed over the anonymous information. We will be heroes in Lylat, just like Star Fox_."

Krystal scrunched her nose a bit. "Why am I here, Panther? Why does Wolf want me working for him?"

"_Wolf likes the idea that if Fox ever finds out you're working for us, well, he would be angry. But, also, the day we clear our names? You will be there to teach us how to handle the positive publicity. Let's face it, Wolf would punch the first journalist in the face that says something snarky. We need to be better than that if we ever manage to_…"

Krystal broke into silvery peals of laughter. "So, because you helped save Lylat from the Aparoids, you guys have decided you want to be _heroes_, now?"

"_Is that so wrong_?"

"You've had your first taste of saving the galaxy, but now you want recognition for it. Is that about right?"

"_Yes, Krystal. That's correct_."

Krystal retorted with a chuckle, followed by muttering a name under her breath.

"_Excuse me_?"

"Nothing, Panther."

"_I am not deaf, Space Flower_."

"I was muttering a deity under my breath. I swore to them in vein. Okay? God."

"_I didn't recognize the name_."

"It was one of the more popular deities on Cerinia. People got into the habit of swearing to their name."

"_You swear to your old gods? The ones that failed to protect Cerinia_?"

"When you put it like that, they deserve to have their names taken in vein, don't they?" Krystal rubbed her eyes with her thumb and forefinger, followed by a scoff. "I … haven't thought about those deities in _years_. I don't even know where that came from, when I said it a moment ago. Sorry. I just muttered it under my breath without thinking about it."

"_Male or female god_?"

"The one I mentioned didn't have a gender," said Krystal. "Okay, now we're getting sidetracked. What the hell are we doing out here in the _ass_-end of space?"

Panther chortled in amusement. "_I've never heard you cuss before, Krystal. You were always so prim and proper_."

"Fuck," she replied in a flat tone. "I'm a mercenary, now, Panther. I'm not a lady. Not anymore."

"_You'll _always _be a lady. Just a highly adaptable one, who knows how to_ be _whatever she has to_ be _in order to_ be _in control of her environment. That just prove my point about you – you're capable of anything_."

Krystal sighed softly. "Is there _anything_ I can do to make you dislike me?"

"_If there is, I haven't figured it out. So, let's just say … no_."

Krystal grumbled with a shake of her head. "Bloody wazzock. Fine. I'll add up all the hours we sit here, and send Wolf my bill. I'll be well-rich by the end of the job."

Panther chuckled over the line.

"So, again, why are we out here, waiting, chatting it up at the arse-end of Lylat?"

"_I like that we're … chatting it up. Mm, we're waiting for the syndicate's transport ship to come through this area. They should be coming from Eladard and headed for something at the edge of Lylat. But their transport ships have come through this area multiple times. Then? They always seem to disappear. Wolf thinks they use the wormhole, and when they emerge, they engage a cloaking device, so that they throw followers off their scent_."

"Clever," Krystal mused softly. She shook her head with a soft sigh. "Okay, what're we waiting for?"

"_A transport ship or large syndicate yacht. Until they show, we have time to … chat it up. So! You've done three jobs with us so far. Why, Krystal_?"

"What?"

"Why_ are you helping StarWolf_?"

"I'm helping _you_, ya big dummy."

Panther chuckled in a guttural manner. "_You want to make Fox jealous if he ever finds out … is that it_?"

"He told me this line of work was 'too dangerous.' I want to prove to him that this 'line of work' is no match for _me_."

"_I hope to hear you word it to him just that way. While you're at it, refer to his Arwing as a 'tin can,' heh_."

"I…" She cocked her head a bit as if trying to get better reception to read his thoughts on the matter. "I didn't know Andross used wording like that."

"_I've watched the satellite feed and comms exchanges between Star Fox and Venom. It was compiled as part of a documentary, years ago_." Panther shook his head with a chuckle. "_Regarding McCloud, well_…" Panther scoffed. "_You have lost nothing; you gained perspective_."

"How do you figure that?"

"_Because, Krystal, he was merely a steppingstone in your life. Do not look back, only forward_." A pause, then, "_But, please, I am curious – did you wish to help me only to make him jealous_?"

Krystal sighed. "He undoubtedly sees you as a potential competition for my affections, so yes … helping you would make him jealous. Which, I guess, makes me shallow. Jilted. Whatever."

"_Very well, my little flower. But, if I may, you are not jilted. You _feel_ jilted, and rightly so, but I am here as your friend. With a bit of water and a transplant to healthy new soil, you will flourish once more_."

She muttered the name of the forgotten Cerinian deity again. With a shake of her head, she added, "I am _not_ your 'little flower.' Flowers get trampled. I'm not that."

"_You are blossoming into greatness. You are a flower. Flowers are not necessarily girly or frail. Many have thorns. They are stung by bees on a daily basis and it makes them stronger. Being compared to a flower is a compliment, Krystal_."

"If you say so."

"_I do_."

"Well, in that case…" She couldn't think of anything mean to say at the moment. She rolled her eyes, sighed, and flatly said, "Thank you." Again, she sighed softly. "What if this transport ship doesn't come through here because they see us waiting?"

"_They come through here because long-range sensors don't work in proximity to the wormhole. They won't know we're here until they're within twenty-five miles of this position. And it's difficult to see a black fighter until one is right up on it. And a silver fighter, such as yours, will appear to be space debris until they're within roughly two miles or closer. So, we're using their advantage against them_."

Krystal feigned a smile. "Smart."

"_I would love to take credit for it, but the idea belongs to Leon_."

"There's a man I don't trust. Leon Powalski. He's a cutthroat killer."

"_His obsession with knives makes him seem like a killer_."

"He also seems to talk about it with a lot of … zeal."

"_True. Also, he has no compunction when he kills, that is true. He's a sociopath, and he suffers from empathy deficit disorder_."

"Mm, if you say so." She'd heard the term before but having it confirmed about Leon didn't make her feel any differently about the reptile.

"_I do say so. Leon has a code. He loathes the mere idea of killing the undeserving. I assure you, Krystal, he's safe_."

"If you say so."

"_Trust me. He's the one I vetted before joining StarWolf. I was ready for_ 'kill or be killed,' _but he's not a homicidal psychopath. He simply lacks empathy, but he functions normally in society_."

Krystal grimaced. "All right. If you say so."

"_You can trust him. He's very loyal. You know, he used to have a voice deeper and far more aloof than my own_."

"Really? Deeper than _your_ voice?"

"_An injury to his throat in a crash landing over Venom caused his voice to sound the way it does, now_." Panther chuckled softly. "_I agree, the current sound of his voice is_…"

"Creepy. Raspy. Like a cliché psychopath killer? Like an evil little verruca on your hind paw, with a collection of 'cool' knives and truncheons that would amuse and impress a teenaged boy. Maybe I haven't warmed up to him, but after a few jobs, he still seems like a toffee-nosed weirdo." Krystal tensed up. "Panther, look! Right there, incoming at one-one-six-niner-mark-twelve. I have a ship; I'm marking it on your sensors as zulu-kilo-zero."

"_I … see it. Keen eye! They only _just_ entered the sector. How did you see them so quickly_?"

Krystal smirked at the image of Panther on her HUD. "Uh, hello? Telepath here? I _sensed them_, Panther."

"_I'm impressed_."

"Good. I'm impressive."

Panther chuckled. "_Yes, you most certainly are. How would you like to play this? Follow them? Board them? We can't destroy them – there are likely to be innocent young ones on that ship_."

"Let's take their engines, dispatch their fighter escort, and go from there. We might board them, if the tosspot doesn't try to escape in a life pod."

"_You wish to wing it_?"

She smiled. "Yes, we wing it after they are adrift with no escort."

"_I like it. I'm forming up on your wing_."

"Good," said Krystal with a firm nod. "Keep the fighters off me while I damage their engines."

"_Right with you, Night Rose_," Panther replied.

"_Don't_ give me a pet name," she quipped, followed by punching her afterburners. "We have eleven minutes before they reach the wormhole event horizon. Let's do it in four minutes."

"_Aye-y'aye, fearless leader_," Panther replied with a chuckle. He opened a channel to the incoming ship and fighters. "_Surrender and prepare to handover your cargo_."

"_Who is this_?!" asked a communications officer from the incoming ship.

"_It is I, Panther Caroso. The thorny scourge of Lylat. Panther, the liberator of the innocent. And, for your information, Panther does not miss his mark. If you engage us, prepare to die_."

"_Our fighter escort has _six M-class_ fighters with war-class weaponry. Back off, whoever the hell you are_."

"_Panther Caroso does not 'back off' from a fight! And M-class warplanes are _nothing_ before the might of_…"

"_Take'em out, pilots_!" said the comms officer on the public channel, purposefully interrupting Caroso.

The corvette ship increased its speed, shortening its time to the wormhole.

Krystal sighed. She opened a private channel. "Panther, we now have six minutes before they reach the event horizon."

"_As you said, they shall be dispatched in four_." He switched back to the public channel and exclaimed, "_You dare engage Panther Caroso with ancient second-hand fighters?! You will die painfully for this insult_!"

Krystal shook her head and thumbed her boost again, screaming through the void toward her target. She let Panther continue the banter with the enemies, and she locked herself out of the public channel so that she wouldn't be implicated.

She headed straight for the ship at high speed. Two of the fighters broke off to engage her, but she evaded them and headed straight for the corvette.

"_Night Rose, let's take care of these fighters, first. You can't let them come after you like that_."

"Panther, you handle them. I don't want this corvette to coast into the wormhole. We have to stop it _and_ find a way to redirect them. I'll handle that part; you do what you've always wanted to do – cover my tail."

"_And what a lovely tail it is_."

"Just defend me." As an afterthought, she added, "Do a better job than Fox."

"_Oh, setting the bar, are we? Very well. And, you know, my dear, a thought just occurred to me – why are you doing this in your personal ship? What if it's recognized_?"

Krystal sighed in annoyance. "Look at your sensors, Panther. What does my ship look like in it?"

"_Erm_…" A pause, then, "_It doesn't have a shape on the sensors, and the video monitor shows you blurry, so their black-boxes will show the same_."

"Exactly. That's my backup plan. It's a disruption field. I came straight from a patrol shift. I was running behind. I didn't have time to go to find a way to Sargasso and switch over to that old Wolfen Mark-3 that you boys loaned to me. So, here we are. Sorry I'm being a bit irascible, I'm just tired."

A flash, behind her, caused her dash to light up from the proximity of the explosion. A bogey disappeared off the sensor scope.

Krystal strafed the corvette, destroying two anti-aircraft gun turrets on the rear port side. She dropped back, behind it, and hammered the port-stern engine boosters.

The large backside of the ship was roughly three hundred feet wide and sixty or seventy feet high. There were three large engine booster clusters, the largest was at the center, and a grouping of about five small boosters on the left and right side of the corvette.

She destroyed the port exhaust cluster with a shock-and-awe strike of blaster fire, followed by a smart missile to finish them off.

She saved a Nova bomb for the main booster, destroying it in one strike.

All that remained was the starboard engine boosters.

Krystal's proximity alarm sounded.

Her rear shields flashed, causing the back of her canopy HUD to turn red, briefly.

Krystal hit her brakes, causing her attacker to fly past her. She noticed it was already damaged from Panther attacking it. She opened fire on the fighter, destroying it from behind. "Ta-ra!" she said absentmindedly.

Panther pulled up, passing Krystal's fighter as well. "_You're letting the target get away, my dear. Any reason? Change your mind? New tactic_?"

"No, Panther. I spared their starboard booster cluster. Look at the corvette's heading."

The large ship veered slowly to port due to only having it's aft-starboard boosters.

She hit her afterburner and came up on the starboard bow side of the corvette. She spotted a maneuvering thruster, flipped a switch on her dash and switched to mass driver guns, and shot the corvette's front right maneuvering thruster. "We'll suss out a plan once I'm sure they won't escape. Then, maybe we find a hatch … just have to suck it and see."

"_That sounded … naughty_."

"Sweet Fanny Adams, mate, grow up."

Panther chortled softly "_Aw, you called me your mate_."

Krystal sighed in annoyance. "You really don't wanna see me throw a stroppy, Panther. I'm tired; it's been a _very_ long day already." She hammered the side of the corvette with her ship's mass driver guns, trying to chew through armored plating on the hull.

"_When tired or annoyed, you use words I've never heard before. But, the way you use them, it's easy enough to assume what you mean_."

"Stoppy," she replied followed by a soft sigh. To throw a strop is to have a wobbler. It's when you're already a bit shirty, but some prat annoys you until you're narked. Plus, I'm clapped out, atop of everything else - boom, a recipe for disaster."

"_Your language sounded fun. I'm sorry you're tired. Anything I can do to help_?"

"Cuppa coffee, maybe. The only real cure is a quick kip. Else, one is liable to go around being cheesed off, starting a barney with every burking bloke. I shouldn't compare these idiots to a berk. Berkshire hunts are an annoying lot from home, but they're as dead as the rest, and I'm really wound up, aren't I?"

"_Your tangent is adorable_."

"Adorable? What are you on about? I'm a mess. I'm propped up on an amphetamine to get through the night." She kept thumbing the trigger for her ship's guns.

"_Since when do you use stimulants_?"

"Since a base shrink wrote a script? Staying focused helps my anxiety. Or have you forgotten that I am likely the last of my race?"

"_Stimulants for anxiety is a bad idea, Space Rose_."

"I get anxious when I'm bloody-well knackered. So, for me, they help keep me less anxious. Everybody is different, Panther. Look, let's just get through this, then, yeah?"

"_Understood_."

"Ta, then." She continued to attack the side of the corvette with her mass drivers. "C'mon, you!"

The fuel line and thruster port finally exploded, causing a cone of bright plasma fire to burn wildly on the front right corner of the ship.

"Sorted!" she exclaimed.

"_Very clever, vixen. Hmm … solid fuel cells shouldn't burn like that_."

"That corvette uses fuel cells for its main boosters in the rear. But it apparently uses liquid fuel for its maneuvering thrusters."

"_Ah, so that's why the rear boosters are burning differently than the thruster … how'd you know the ship uses liquid fuel for its maneuvering thrusters_?"

"I swotted the basics of post-war Lylat engineering on subspace internet, Panther. It didn't take but a moment."

"…_Oh_."

"What? Were you expecting me to say I sensed it from a mechanic?" She chuckled softly. "Maybe a silly wide boy in Y-fronts and overalls, who knows every black-market piece he's added to this junker to keep it flying?"

"_A wide boy_?"

"A bloody spiv. God, I can't witter on about all this right now." She rubbed her face with her palms. "I'm putting away my nonsensical Cerinian yammering, then." She glanced at her radar scope, followed by a sharp sigh. "All right, keep those fighters off me whilst I handle this."

"_With pleasure_."

"Yeah … if you say so." She moved the Cloudrunner close to the hull of the ship, until her fuselage gently brushed up against their armor plating. She increased throttle slow and steady, until she helped guide the corvette further away from the wormhole's entrance point. The thump was more jarring than she expected. "Sorry for the prang. Guess you'll have to ring my motor assurance," she said to the corvette, just outside of her canopy glass.

Fuel gushed out, burning brightly at first, but quick to lose flame in the void of space. Liquid fuel sprayed her ship, immediately freezing to the armored plating.

Krystal grimaced. "Dammit."

"_Ah_!" Panther roared with pride. "_Another fighter down! Wait, is that a _frown_ I spy marring your beautiful visage_?"

She glanced at his image in her HUD, then the dash-mounted lens pointed at her. A grimace tightened at the corners of her maw. "Their liquid fuel sprayed on my fighter. Any attempt at atmospheric reentry would be dangerous."

The corvette veered further and further away from the wormhole entrance, escaping its gravity. It floundered around, unable to escape the sector.

"_Krystal, you out-pirated our competitors rather expertly_." A pause, then, with an alluring smile, he added, "_Come back to Sargasso with me. I am happy to _personally_ wash your fighter_."

She didn't like the idea of taking the Cloudrunner to Sargasso, because she didn't want it to be associated with Star Wolf, but at this point, it was the only feasible idea. She sighed, nodded, and forced a weak chuckle. "You're going to dirty your paws with menial tasks like washing a fighter? That's not the Panther _I_ know."

"_Oh, is that so_?"

"Yeah, the Panther I know is a bit up himself. Peers out his own navel to see where he's going."

"_I was a professional assassin, Krystal. I know how to clean up a crime scene. A fighter will be a piece of … cake. Chocolate cake. In fact, you can sit on a supply crate, eating chocolate cake, while I clean your fighter for you. I'm happy to show you that_…"

"Panther, enough. We women like a man that will show, not just tell."

"_I'm a grower _and_ a shower_."

"Okay, whoa. Too much. I get the flirting, but you need to be subtle and smooth. You're usually not so forward or crude."

"_You're absolutely right, Krystal. I'm never this crass. Somehow, you bring it out of me. Although, please, do not misunderstand – I am not saying it is your fault in any way. It's just … when I am around you, I have to learn self-control all over again_."

She scoffed. After a moment, a wry grin of amusement tugged at the corners of her muzzle. "Is that so…"

"_Indeed, it is. I pride myself on discipline, restraint, and willpower. But, Krystal, around you, well, I become a fool. For that, I apologize_."

"Maybe you're trying too hard."

"_It has been many years since I've experienced any semblance of_…" He trailed off to think of an eloquent way to word himself.

Her wry grin broadened a bit. "…Of making an ass of yourself?"

"_Yes, that_."

"The first time we met, you were over-confident. Now I'm supposed to believe that I'm having some sort of effect on you? That I make you weak in the knees?"

"_Yes, Krystal. Exactly that. When we had lunch after the Aparoid Invasion? I felt as though I met the real you, not just a pretty face or a pilot for a rival team_."

"Mm, I _did_ notice your demeanor changed a bit after we met that time. Still, I stand by what I said – you're trying too hard, Panther."

"_If I'm '_trying too hard_' it's because you're the first woman I've met worth _all_ of my effort_."

Her grin evolved into a genuine smile. "Okay, _that_ was … actually sweet." She could sense his honesty … his sincerity. It was unexpected.

"_I'll endeavor to treat you with the respect you deserve. I'm hoping you already sense my feelings and intentions, but it needs to be said – I do not see you as some … object_." His fighter swooped around, chasing away a fighter that was targeting her ship. He moved the lumbering Wolfen about, herding the fighters away from her ship. "_Perhaps an object of my affections, but by no means _an object_. You are certainly _much more_ than a pretty face with an attractive figure_."

"Oh, lord have mercy."

Panther continued. "_You're a clever pilot, and your ability to defeat the capital ship's escape plan with no time to spare, while under fire by enemy fighters … well, that proves you are in possession of that … that 'something special' that has no name_."

"Okay, okay. I get it. You have a crush on me. Don't put me on a pedestal. Just … give me respect when I'm due."

"_As in gender equality respect_?"

"You know how Wolf and Leon treat you like a third wheel?"

"_Yes, because our personalities are not compatible. It's simple chemistry_."

"Don't be a thick naff, Panther. That's what you're telling yourself to accept the way they treat you. Don't swallow their bullshit. And don't tell me a lady doesn't cuss, either. I sense you're surprised I said that. My point still stands – you need to demand their respect, not ask for it. Respect is earned, but there are more ways to earn respect than to parade around, talking about your kill score. You can't swallow their shit until ya feel ropey. You man up and _demand_ their respect."

"_How do you suggest I earn Wolf and Leon's respect_?"

Krystal sighed softly. "The same way I did, really. You remember, I know you do."

"_When Wolf pulled a knife to gauge your response_?"

"Yes. Wolf was being tetchy as hell, that night. He wanted to see if he could intimidate me; he withdrew the biggest knife he carries. The irascible little shit. So, then, if you recall, I snatched his forearm, struck him in a pressure point, slammed his forehead into a pane of acrylic glass, and then I guided his own knife to his throat, while holding his wrist firmly. I leaned in close, smiled, and told him…"

Panther recited her words to Wolf from a few weeks back. "_Wolf, if you're going to threaten a girl, be prepared to make good on it. Oh, I'm sorry, did you blink? I didn't know that electronic eye-patch could blink. If you ever need a demonstration on the fact that I can handle myself, we can start by branding you with my name. Where do you want it? Your chest or your ass? Your choice_."

Krystal burst into laughter. "Did I really say it _just_ like that?"

"_You did. Leon was impressed because you drew just enough blood from Wolf's neck to show you didn't mind the sight of it. Leon expected you to squirm at the mere spectacle; he was delighted it didn't bother you_."

"I remember washing it off of my paw. Thank the goddesses that Wolf doesn't have any STDs."

Panther chortled. "_Indeed. It might surprise you to find out that Wolf is a bit of a germaphobe. He has enough willpower to ignore it if he needs to show off in a bar or some such, but_…" Panther shook his head on the monitor, followed by another chuckle. "_Well, needless to say, Sargasso is cleaner than most pirate lairs because of that_."

"I wondered. I mean, he employs mercenaries. He hands out jobs and writes wage packets like a businessman, but somehow Sargasso is always clean. Well, certainly cleaner than the Great Fox was when I first joined Star Fox."

"_The 'ex' is a bit of a slob, hmm_?"

"Falco and Slippy are, although Slippy has started growing out of it. Fox? Well, I think that was depression until he met me."

"_So, how bad was it? By this time next year, will Fox be wearing the same shirts two and three days in a row…? Or will there be food cartons and beer cans on the bridge deck_?"

"Both," Krystal replied in a soft voice. She looked away with a sigh, gazing out of her canopy at the corvette hull plating. "Let's change the subject. We need to get back on task. We have a job to complete."

"_They're not going anywhere_," Panther replied. A pause, then, "_Perhaps you're right. What if there are children aboard that Corvette? We can't simply take over and fly it to Sargasso with damaged engines_."

Krystal unfastened her safety harness and peered back into the heart of the Cloudrunner. "I … could fit a few little ones, I suppose. Depends on how many they have. I doubt they'd have many, because it would be difficult to hide a large group in the event of being inspected by a Cornerian team."

"_Fair logic. Do you sense children aboard_?"

Krystal took a deep breath and calmed her mind. She ignored Panther's thoughts and the worries of the corvette's crew. She listened for the thoughts of youth … of innocence. She shook her head. "There are young people, but not little ones. It's difficult to tell the age of individuals in a group. There are more than a dozen crewmembers and some that I … can't be sure about."

"_It's possible that they've been conditioned to accept their situation and act as part of the crew_."

"Or they're teenagers. Every teen has a different maturity level, so some can be mistaken as children, and others can be mistaken as young adults."

"_We'll have to board the ship and handle the crew. Then, we'll have to determine which syndicate leaders are aboard the ship, and if there are any young ones needing to be saved_."

"We're going to have to make sure anyone we rescue won't report back to Cornerian authorities that they were saved by a blue fox in a unique Space Dynamics fighter."

"_Mm, true. We should find a way to cover their eyes. Hoods for all who survive, and the destruction of their black box recorders_."

Krystal nodded in agreement. "All right. Let's force our way onto their cargo hold. It'll be a tight fit for me, but your Wolfen might fit. I'll dock with a hatch leading to the bridge and we'll meet in the middle."

"_Exciting_!" Panther roared. "_I will see you there, my Night Rose_." A pause, then he cleared his throat, adding,"_It's not a pet name, it's something I will call you in the field, Krystal_."

She groaned in annoyance. "Fine. Whatever. See you aboard the ship."

"_Until we meet again_!"

Krystal moved her ship forward, just a little bit, until the rear entrance to her ship was lined up with a hatch on the starboard side of the corvette. She pressed a button to make sure the stabilizers were locked into position, folded back with the G-diffuser pontoons tucked beneath the belly of Cloudrunner.

She checked the computer readout to make sure the rear side-entrance perfectly lined up overtop a hatch access section on their bridge. The bridge was located at the top-center of their ship.

She set the autopilot lockout controls, pressed a key to create a forcefield seal between the two ships, punched in a lockout pin code, and moved to the back of her ship. She retrieved her staff and opened the exit-hatch on the side. It slid open where the two hulls were nearly touching. An energy field created a small tunnel between her rear port-side entrance and the hatch leading to the bridge of the corvette.

Krystal took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "You've got this. We'll give it a bit of a welly, sort these fools, and take the kids back to Corneria. Easy as ya like." Another calming breath, then she nodded firmly. "Then I'll eat cake while Panther gives Cloudrunner a bath."

She put her staff against the hatch, froze it until the hinges were frosted and brittle, then she drew the staff back and thrust it forward. The 'quake attack' setting shattered the hinges. "All right, Krystal," she told herself, "Cerinia is gone. It's time to put those words in the past. When in Lylat, you walk and talk like a Lylatian."

She sensed the aggressive approach of someone and stepped back from the hatch. "Time to earn my wages, then." She took a deep breath to prepare herself for combat.

A boot kicked the hatch open, followed by blaster fire.


	17. The Night Rose

Author's Note: _This chapter has a really dark side-arc. It's something I wanted to try writing to show that Lylat has some very dark background issues taking place in the wake of so much war. Human trafficking, or, in this case, person trafficking, is a very serious thing in many parts of the world. After seeing this, Krystal doubles down on her efforts to stay relevant when it comes to making the universe a better place. She feels she can do it with OR without Fox at her side. _

_-K_

* * *

Chapter -17-  
_The Night Rose_

**The broken emergency bridge hatch** was kicked inward by an enemy.

Krystal ducked back into Cloudrunner's hold, using her staff to shield herself from the blaster fire. She released two fiery blasts, causing the attacking party to back away from the exit hatch.

Krystal dove forward, barreling through the energy field. She rolled into the bridge of the corvette ship. She sensed attackers.

Somewhere in the background, someone shouted into a PA microphone, demanding backup on the bridge.

Krystal swung her staff, dispatching the nearest attacker. One clear strike to the face and his boots went up into the air. She followed through with the swing, spun about, and opened fire with her staff, setting an adjacent gunman aflame.

The attacker flailed about, ablaze. The flames set off a fire suppression field around his body.

She pointed the staff to her left and froze another attacker, then threw her staff with all of her might.

The staff flew across the bridge and struck the skipper in his gut before he could reach the elevator at the back of the bridge. He spiraled twice, hit the wall adjacent to the elevator doors, and dropped to the deck with a groan.

Krystal vaulted over the helm controls, located in the middle of the bridge, and picked up her staff. There was a little blood on the tip, but not much.

The skipper looked up at her, holding a shallow wound at the center of his abdomen. He saw the blood on the ovular end of her staff. The skipper furrowed his brows with confusion in his gaze. "How … how did you … pierce me? That stick isn't even sharp."

"If it was, it would have severed your lower spine. You're lucky. You'll walk away from this … if I don't kill you. I understand you're ferrying some _very_ dangerous men and, likely, some underaged people, who are here against their will. Pre-teens, possibly."

"I…"

"Don't lie to me," she replied through clenched teeth. "I am a living lie detector. If you lie to me, I _will know_. Do you understand? Now, where are the syndicate leaders?"

The skipper stammered.

"You're in shock." She firmly swatted the dog's muzzle three times. "Snap out of it, and stop staring off into space like some daft codger. Where are they? Point."

The skipper stared up at her with wide eyes.

For the first time, Krystal noticed he was a canine … a bit on the fluffy side, with brownish fur and he looked to be in his mid-forties.

Silence.

She stared at him for a moment, then bent at the waist, and said, "Scattered around the ship? You don't know, hm? Wait … got it. Ta. Now, crawl your tail to sickbay and think about the repercussions of your line of work."

"I… I, uh…"

"And where are the kids they brought aboard with them? Likely pleasure slaves."

The breed-less mutt stared up at her and shook his head. "Kids?"

"Pre-teen or teens, likely girls or young boys. Where the hell are they?"

"What? I don't know of any kids."

Krystal sighed. She could tell he was lying but she wasn't about to kill someone who was afraid to fight her. She shook her head and glared at him. "You're useless. I'll find them myself. I'm only letting you live because you didn't reach for a blaster; you tried to make a dash for it. But if you suddenly start feeling brave from all that adrenaline in your blood, I will make your life hell…"

"My … L-life?"

"Yeah, ya loon. Your life. Or whatever is left of it. So, don't get any ideas."

The skipper lifted his brown-furred paws to cover his face, palms facing outward. "I'll stay right here. I'll go to the sickbay when you leave."

She stepped over the skipper, called the elevator, turned to the guy across the bridge that was still flailing around, on fire, and used her ice blast just enough to kill the flames.

The fire suppression field fizzled out as well.

Patches of his fur had burned away, but he was still lucid, and, surprisingly, he seemed fairly calm. The fire hadn't burned through his fire-retardant uniform, and he still had most of the fur on his head.

Krystal walked to the crewman, and, with a smirk, she pointed her staff in his face. The tip opened, and the gem used as a lens was pointed straight at his nose. "Are you going to cause me any problems, later?"

The crewman lifted his paws, showing that he was defenseless. "Lady, you just took our four of us in the blink of an eye. You … you just go right on about your b-business."

"I'm sensing some feelings of animosity and the desire for retribution. Am I going to see you again later on?"

The man was … _was_ … overly fluffy. A Keeshond, perhaps? It was difficult to tell from the damage caused by her fire attack.

He shook his head pathetically and waved his paws in front of his face. "No, no, not from me. Are you going to destroy our ship when you leave?"

Krystal scoffed. "Only if I have to defend myself. Keep that in mind." She walked back to the skipper, stepped over him, which caused him to cringe, and then she boarded the elevator.

She pressed a button labeled 'Cargo Hold.' The doors slid shut with a metallic thump.

Now to find Panther.

The elevator creaked and knocked softly, indicating it was an older cable-system, which used large steel cables at the top and bottom of the shaft, as opposed to magnetic levitation, like the lift on Great Fox…

…Krystal shook her head, trying to put all thoughts of her old outfit out of her mind.

She took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and exhaled slowly. She casually wondered what kind of elevator system Sargasso used … probably mag-lev and locking clamps for whatever floor it stopped on.

She recalled that there was a large one in the middle of the hanger deck, which went all the way to the top of Sargasso Station.

She wondered if Panther would become overprotective at some point. So far, he was fairly accommodating, and that … wasn't so bad, really.

Silence. More knocking. Another creak of stressed metal … and then the doors swished open, albeit slowly.

Panther Caroso stood directly in front of her with his blaster pointed into the elevator.

Krystal smirked. "I _told you_ once and I'll tell you again: it's _too soon_ to show me your pistol, cowboy."

Panther stared at her for a second, surprised by her response. Surprised but amused.

"Yeah," she agreed with his first thought, adding, "That _was_ a bit out of character for me. I was just trying something new."

"As amusing as it was," he said, lowering the pistol by forty-five degrees, before adding, "Be yourself. That's the Krystal I fell in love with. That may not be good enough for Fox McCloud, but it is _certainly_ all that _I_ have ever wanted."

She wanted to reply with something snarky or clever, but nothing came to mind. He was being too honest and open to respond with snark. She lowered her staff, until the ovular end touched the deck.

Panther tilted his head. "Is that blood on your weapon?"

"Just a little. It broke skin, but I didn't run the guy through or anything."

"Krystal, I know our work chemistry is different than … your previous employer … but I come as I am. Aloof in battle, because it works against my enemies, but I am exactly as you see before you the rest of the time. This is the real me."

She pursed her lips, stepped off the elevator, and tilted the staff up to use it as a walking stick. "I … know. I appreciate that about you. You're a bit hokey at times, especially in fights … I mean, the third-person speech thing? That's just _weird_. But … you're a good mate, I guess."

"Oh, honey, I wouldn't go _that far_. I wouldn't even use 'good' in the same sentence as me."

"I used to tell Fox he was a good guy with bad habits. But you? You're a wannabe bad boy with good habits."

Panther chortled, combining a growl and a chuckle together, deep down in his chest. "If you say so."

"I say so. You brush three times a day. You fold your own laundry. You say a prayer to the old Lylatian goddess of the hunt before you go to bed."

"I also use roses as my calling card when I kill people, and I can break a Cornerian army sergeant in half. But, don't worry, I'll only ever be gentle for you."

"If you want to be more than a wannabe bad boy, you have to show me. Show me, don't tell me."

"As you wish," said Panther with a firm nod. "So, what's the plan?"

"The bridge is secured. We hunt. I want to find the syndicate. I sense … a single mind in the group that makes me sick to my stomach. That's our target, most likely."

"Lead the way, Night Rose."

"Panther…" She sighed softly and shook her head. "Seriously, shut the _hell up_ with that rubbish."

"Pretending you're not a lady does not make you unappealing."

She snapped her fingers. "Well, damn. I was trying so hard, too." She offered him a smirk and twirled her staff. "All right, then, let's finish this job. I've been too … chatty … at least around you. With Fox, it was work first and personal crap later."

"I can work _and_ talk. But, that's fine. We'll do it your way today."

"Good. On my six, Caroso. And no comments about my 'six,' got it?"

He replied with a firm nod. "As you wis—"

"Just stop," she replied. "Enough with the cuteness. Let's see how well we work together, then, yeah? I've got roughly twelve-to-fifteen people on the ship who are still armed and looking to kill us. Four _more_ are up on the bridge, but they're not going to fight us. I took care of that."

"You left them alive? They've seen your face."

"I'm going to buy their loyalty."

"With what currency?"

"Their lives," she said with a wry grin. "It's how Wolf does it, yeah? I let them know I could kill them any time, and they fall in line _right quick_."

"Very nice," Panther replied with a smile.

"Okay… I sense people nearby. Shut it." She readied her staff and walked down a rather nondescript hallway, silver and grey on all sides.

Panther lifted his pistol, pointing it ninety degrees upward.

They approached a T-junction intersection.

Krystal lifted her left paw, slowed her pace, and made gestures with her left paw. She first held a single finger up. Then she motioned with the head of her staff, clenched in her right fist, gesturing to the left.

Panther saw the staff over her shoulder, then he saw the gesture with her finger. He thought the words, '_Stun mode doesn't create enough raw power to break the sound barrier or superheat the air – it's a silent attack_.'

Krystal reached out with her left paw and tapped Panther's blaster, followed by a thumb's up gesture.

Panther nodded and switched to 'stun.' He stopped short of an intersection, took a deep breath, held it, and rounded the corner. In one smooth step, he planted his right foot, aimed, and fired.

The stun blast struck a jackal between his shoulder blades, sending the stun blast up his spine. It shut down the jackal's central nervous system for a moment. The placement of Panther's attack caused the jackal to drop against the bulkhead, and then slide to the deck quietly.

Krystal smiled in approval at Panther's handiwork. She approached the unconscious man, checked his neck to make sure he didn't fall in a way that would break it, then she disarmed the jackal. She removed the battery pack from the man's blaster, put his weapon back into his holster, and checked his ankle for any other weapons.

She stood up, turned to Panther, and tossed him the battery pack.

Panther caught it with grace, put it into a pouch on the back of his outfit, and nodded firmly.

Krystal sniffed at the air, took a deep breath, and focused her telepathic ability.

Panther moved closer. He whispered, "Can you hear people's thoughts the way is depicted in cinema?"

Krystal shook her head. "I don't '_hear_' anything, even in a crowded room. I have active thoughts that I recognize are not my own. The brain is like an old radio. The mouth is the speaker, but radios work on waves, and each mind is set to its own very specific frequency. One in a trillion people will broadcast on the same frequency and may never even meet. But my race can perceive all brainwave frequencies at one time. The trick, at least with a group, is to learn how to tune in to whose frequency is putting out whatever thoughts you're trying to perceive specifically – like tuning your radio dial until you find what you're interested in … does that make sense?"

"Exceptionally well, yes. That is how Andross was able to hide his thoughts from you – he applied a frequency blocker."

Krystal nodded. "My people didn't know about that sort of rubbish. Which, in hindsight, seems silly. You'd think telepaths would have figured out ways to make privacy fashionable, so that, in the modern era, world leaders could keep their political plans from one another. I mean, since when is privacy not in fashion for political types, right?"

"Fashion … like a hat."

"For Andross? Yes, or so we thought. But what I meant was fashion like a state of mind. See, my culture has always _tried_ to be … open and accepting … and, so, we never cared to understand ways to hide our intentions. When Andross came to Cerinia, we simply assumed his mind operated on a frequency beyond our range. We never thought it might just be the hat he was wearing – we thought it was his neurological fashion … part of his species' evolution. I might not be explaining this very well, but the point is, it took the genocide of my race for me to wake up to how the rest of the universe works."

"I'm sorry you had to see that side of sentient life, Night Rose."

"Stop calling me that, Wilted Petal."

Panther chortled softly, amused by her response. "All right, my dear, let's keep moving. If using your ability to search out enemies becomes exhausting, just let me know. I have a heartbeat monitor I can use to…"

"It's natural to use my ability. It's a sixth sense. Using my other five isn't exhausting unless I, myself, am tired." Her face scrunched up into a moue of disgust. "Oh. Right. I'm so tired that I forgot I'm tired. Look, I'll be fine. Like I said, I'm propped up on an amphetamine. I'll get through."

"Ah. Very good. Let's finish our job."

Krystal nodded. "Now you're talking my language."

He offered her a smile. "Such a professional in the field. Fox doesn't know what he gave up, the fool."

"Okay, focus. I'm not here to think about my ex, nor am I here to tarry about." Krystal perked an ear. She lowered her voice ever so slightly, adding, "I am here to work, get paid, and do some good, even if it's with Star Wolf."

"See? I told you we're not '_bad guys_.'"

"Mm, yes, you did." She looked around the area and pointed down the hall, in the direction from which they came. She backtracked to the intersection, gazed to the right, where they came from. She squinted at the elevator, grimaced, and then she crossed the T-shaped intersection."

"I know that cologne," Panther whispered.

Krystal lifted her left paw, extended two fingers, followed by gesturing to the left and right at an upcoming intersection. She glanced back at Panther and whispered, "Allow me to show off?"

A brilliant, toothy smile spread across Panther's muzzle. "Please do."

"Good. Let me show you how intuitive my sixth sense can be. Don't interfere."

Panther nodded in agreement.

Krystal stepped into the intersection, brought her paw to her lips, and cleared her throat into her fist. "Ahem…"

Panther watched.

Krystal kept her feet planted. She shifted at the waist, and then craned her neck to the side, so as to move her head.

Blaster fire screamed by her in both directions.

Panther heard two thuds. He laughed softly and approached her. "You evaded so that they would shoot one another?"

Krystal nodded with a wry smile. "Yeah. Sometimes it goes all to pot. Sometimes one guy misses the other, or one guy hits the other in a vest designed to shield against blaster fire. But this time, it worked the way I was hoping."

"Showy."

"Partially luck, partially not." She pointed to the left. "Check him, Panther, quick as ya' like. I'll get this guy." She moved to the right and knelt over a kangaroo. She disarmed the man, then she lifted the front of his shirt. She furrowed her brows and said, "I thought kangaroos have pouches where they hide their weapons … and their young."

"Only the females," Panther replied while hunched over the other body. "Mine is a mutt canine."

"Ah." She arched her brows a bit. "So?"

"Cornerians have forgotten what it is like to appreciate a breed or nationality. Canine mutts, globalism, and whatever the '-ism' is for their attempt at making a galactic governance for Lylat."

Krystal furrowed her brows at Panther, then she scrunched her nose at him. "Meaning?"

"Meaning, the Cornerian dogs want to brand globalization with a pathetic smiling emoji. Next, they'll want to rename 'Lylat' to '_the Corneria System_' because the goddess, for which the sun was named after, _might_ be _offensive_ to _some_ who are not religious. That's childish and it erases historical roots. It is literally cultural erasure in an attempt to claim that there is a freedom of religion and non-religion. Next, they'll want to rename the days of the week because they were named after old deities."

"Where is this coming from, Panther?"

"The continent where I was born, on Fichina, only has a handful of full-blood large cat species anymore. This is because Corneria is indoctrinating the neighboring worlds into their globalism mindset. It's on the verge of godless cosmic communism. They have no pride in nationality or race."

Krystal blinked. "So, you're … against … hybrid species?"

"I'm against the idea that the ideology of preserving purebred races is somehow _bad_. My parents chose to marry based on being the same species, but this young generation, nowadays, acts like it is somehow taboo to marry within your own race, because the alternative might be looked at as having a race-agenda."

Krystal eyed him carefully. "Continue. I'm suddenly more interested in hearing this than our mission.

"As you wish. I have witnessed people going out of their way to marry outside their breed or race in order to try and prove that they're not racist."

"And you're saying that they should, instead, marry for love without judgment?"

"Freedom to love is what Panther wishes to protect, but, also, I am saying to you that everyone is racist. _Everyone_. They just don't know it, or they grow up to become tolerant, or they are browbeat by society to become accepting, or … worst of all, at the far end of the spectrum, they are publicly proud of their racist views, despite those who are offended by it."

"And what are _your_ views, Panther?"

"I've already been banished by my family for bringing shame to them. I am far more liberal than they are."

"How so?" She tilted her head.

"Where my parents would act offended if they knew I worked with a reptile and a canine, I personally only care about the fact that my teammates are competent at their jobs. But I should be allowed to have pride in my species. I judge those who are designer races, comprised of every race their parents and grandparents fucked, until they are all proud mutts. To them, it says their family is proudly not racist, because they will mate with everyone. I say that proves nothing. Everyone is racist. It is how we tolerate our fellow lupines and reptile teammates that makes us truly 'woke' or whatever the latest term is on Corneria."

"Mm, it sounds to me like your parents indoctrinated you, just differently."

"My parents judge me for being bisexual."

Krystal chuckled. "Isn't it called pansexual, now?"

"No, there are differences. Pansexuality is a person who cares about hearts more than parts. It's a lovely sentiment, but it does not describe my sexuality."

Krystal tilted her head.

"Bi means two. I like only two kinds of lovers, effeminate men and effeminate women."

"Is that so…"

Panther replied with a firm nod. "I like my men and my women to be feminine. I am not attracted to masculine males or masculine females. I cannot change my sexual preference. I am attracted to that which I am attracted. I like my mates to be effeminate. I prefer two genders, effeminate men and effeminate women."

"And marrying outside your race?"

"I would marry _you_ in a heartbeat."

"Mm-hmm…"

"But, I would prefer things to happen at a traditional pace. We go steady, I propose, we set a date, we make a seating chart, so the pirates and mercenaries don't fight with the Cornerians and whichever family members actually attend."

"You'd invite your family? The one that doesn't approve of this, that, and the other?"

Panther chortled softly. "I would tell them, '_You told me never to marry canid women. Canines, lupines, vulpines, because you are racist against Cornerian canids. But Krystal is from Cerinia. Genetically speaking, she is half cat and half vixen. But she's nothing like the Cornerians you dislike, so grow up and celebrate true love with me_.' And they would do as I ask. Else they would not be invited."

Krystal brought a paw to her muzzle to keep from laughing out loud. She wasn't sure if she felt his response was absurd or completely amusing. She thought about it for a moment, then she couldn't decide if the idea of him standing up for her was somehow romantic, or if she was just deflecting the hurt that she felt from her last 'marriage proposal' falling apart. And then?

Then the realization that her marriage proposal fell apart … suddenly hit her hard. She wasn't prepared for it. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she bit back on her emotions to the best of her ability. "Dammit," she whispered.

"Krystal?"

She waved a paw at him in silence. "It's nothing," she replied meekly. "Was going to laugh and bit my tongue."

"Should I kiss it better?"

She rubbed at her eyes furiously, inhaled deeply through her nose to clear her sinuses, and asked, in a soft voice, "Kiss … my tongue? Oh. _Oh_. Good heavens, Caroso, you're obsessed."

"With you, yes. But we can revisit this subject later. Let's finish what we started, shall we?"

"Yeah, lets." She realized what he'd done…

He saw her tears and came to the conclusion that he had reminded her of the life she'd planned out and destroyed, so he changed the subject … and for him to recognize that fact and make a joke to feign ignorance, just so that he could pretend not to notice the shame she felt … it was … it was so…

Krystal sighed softly.

…It was so thoughtful of him.

His acceptance of her hurt was appreciated, but more than that, she was thankful he didn't make a big deal out of it.

Her heart ached for what she felt she'd ruined, but … maybe spending time with Panther wasn't … _so_ bad.

"Krystal?"

"Hmm?"

"You have, how you say, _zoned out_. We still have roughly nine people with weapons ahead of us."

"Oh, right. Sorry. I was just thinking."

"Credit for your thoughts."

"I'll share for free," she replied, not understanding his figure of speech. "I was thinking you're not such a bad … guy … y'know, for a self-labeled _bad guy_."

"We all have our moments, even me. But don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to uphold. Let people think I am some sort of chauvinistic lady's man, instead of a lonely one who is desperate for your approval."

Krystal blinked. "That was … a rather frank thing for you to admit out loud."

Panther feigned a wry smile. "I mean, you're telepathic, so you already know the real me. But I am content to let _other_ people think what they want about me. They are not allowed to know the real me, but _you_ are."

She opened her muzzle, but no words came out. She didn't know what to think. He just showed her a deeply vulnerable side meant only for her, and that … well, that wasn't so bad. He was surrendering emotional power to her, and, truthfully, she sensed he was being completely honest – he wasn't necessarily desperate for _a_ woman … he was desperate for _her_, and his sentiments seemed truly genuine.

It was then that Krystal realized Panther was giving her the power to hurt his heart.

As much as he spoke of protecting her, she started to wonder if he was the one that needed protecting. If she were to go back to Fox, she sensed he would likely be devastated, but, at the same time, he had already prepared himself for her to go back to McCloud.

Silence.

"Panther?"

"Yes, Night Rose?"

She realized something else … he was using a pseudonym so that he wasn't using her real name on an enemy ship, and he had nothing else to call her at the moment.

"I'm listening," he added.

She exhaled softly. "Listen, Fox had his chance, but he blew it. I don't know what will happen next in my life, but Fox McCloud is in my past. I'm not the kind of woman to look back; I prefer to look forward. It's how I'm handling the loss of Cerinia … and my family. So, only ever looking forward is also how I've decided to handle my love life."

Panther smiled.

"Not that I'm saying you're _definitely _going to be part of my love life going forward, I'm just saying, y'know … Fox is out of my life. He botched things between us. I'm happy to move forward, not backward. _If_ you're going to be in my life in that capacity, well…"

"Don't decide that sort of thing right now."

She replied with a dry chuckle, then she asked, "What, in the heat of battle?"

"No, my dear. You've just come from a long-term relationship. A very important part of your life. A huge steppingstone, so to speak. You don't have to rush into something else anytime soon. It would be unfair to you. Take all the time you need, for as long as you need it. Choose what to do with your heart when you are ready. Whether you choose tomorrow or in ten years, I will respect your choice and when you make it."

Krystal replied with a genuine smile. Now she was impressed.

"Just … not Wolf."

Krystal laughed. "Wolf? You're worried I'd even consider that? I'm so tired of the barmy 'Alpha Male' macho bullshit attitude. It's toxic."

"How so?"

"I cooked'im brekkie yesterday. He said, '_Dry toast, dry sausage, dry eggs … I hope your vagina isn't as much of a sandbox as this breakfast, for your boyfriend's sake_.' He was referring to you."

Panther blinked. "He said that?"

"Oh, don't worry. You'd best believe I sorted him right."

"What'd you do?"

Krystal chuckled offhandedly. "I gave him the angriest glare, then, when he looked back down to feign disinterest, I dumped salt on his bloody eggs and toast … after taking the lid off the shaker, of course. Let him starve or die of dehydration after spouting that rubbish."

Panther brought a paw to his maw to keep from laughing out loud. But it couldn't be helped. He doubled over at the waist, and a belly laugh came from his barrel chest.

Krystal approached him and placed both of her paws over his muzzle, trying to stop him from laughing, but it was contagious.

He reached up to brace himself on her shoulder with one paw, laughing hysterically, something she'd never heard from him before.

She sensed the way he imagined Wolf's face, and it matched up with the way she remembered it happening.

And, before she could stop herself, she, too, was laughing hysterically. She removed her right paw from his face and braced her knee, and with her left paw she made a fist and thudded her staff against the bulkhead.

Panther cackled, adding, "I bet Wolf was mad he couldn't open _both eyes_ wide when you did that!"

The oxytocin hit Krystal in the gut with a hormone punch of amusement, and she all-but-died laughing. She sensed approaching enemies rushing from either side of the hallway, but the thought of Wolf being even madder that he couldn't widen both eyes to express shock and dismay at having his eggs assaulted … with … salt.

"Oh, my _god_," Krystal wheezed. "I ah-salted his eggs. That's why he was so mad, he felt attacked!"

Panther rested his forehead against hers as they were doubled over together. He exclaimed, "Now Wolf is even saltier than usual!"

Krystal fought for a deep breath; this laughter was like tickle torture. And she knew that several men were hurrying their approach. Why was this so funny, and why now?

"Panther!" she gasped.

"Krystal!" he exclaimed in unison.

Both lifted their weapon and opened fire at the same time, with suddenly expressionless eyes. The adrenaline kicked in, and she fire-blasted her enemies behind Panther.

He shot beneath her elbow, alongside her hip, and rapidly struck several incoming attackers as they rounded the corner, hitting each in the face.

They went down like a sack of potatoes, spilling out across the floor.

Silence followed.

Panther stood up straight, breathing hard as if having just jogged for a long distance.

Krystal lifted the top of her staff and blew a wisp of steam from the lens gemstone, then she closed the top, twirled it, and un-extended the telescopic rod. She moved it to a specially modified magnetic fiber-weave woven into her outfit. The staff clipped to her back with a soft snap sound.

Panther took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, then he exhaled with a soft chortle. He turned to Krystal and said, "I saw their shadows come around the corner of the intersection first. I take it you sensed them?"

"Of course."

"So, your staff is made of a magnetic material? I thought it was made of a precious metal, wouldn't that mean it isn't magnetic?"

"Cerinian Orichalcum is only magnetically attracted to one-known-type of Cerinian metal, and only if that metal is electrically magnetized. There's a low current going to my outfit to absorb blaster fire. It magnetizes a strip woven on the backside of my outfit. Reaching back for the staff causes the fabric to shift and bunch up, so that the staff has less surface space to be attached, so it comes off easier."

"How clever."

"Standard issue Cerinian technology. We mastered low-tech to accommodate the high-tech. What? You thought this outfit was Cornerian?"

"Why not wear it on Sauria?"

"I did. It was damaged. Not to mention, the humidity in the Saurian jungle was dangerous with all this fur. I had the surviving outfit hemmed and repaired with a Cornerian body suit from Persimmons. It's what I used during the Aparoid Assault."

"Ah. That makes sense." Panther looked around the hallway. "So, is there anyone left?"

"Just those on the bridge … and two people down here, somewhere. Both are … afraid but in different ways."

"I see. Let's go rescue these two victims."

"Not sure what I'm feeling from the two. Let's just do what we came to do."

"Lead the way," he replied, followed by holstering his blaster.

"You just want to look at my arse," she said with a scoff.

"I like the way you walk, but there is no point in staring at a fixed object when my target is your affections, not your tail."

"You're full of good one-liners for once … I'll give you that much, Caroso." She took point and headed toward the group of bodies that had been coming up behind her, earlier. She stepped over the group of canine males and rounded the corner. "Your kills aren't burnt to a crisp, at least."

"Stun or not, a head shot is usually fatal. Quick blasts to the face remove the possibility of suffering. I don't have any roses to put on their bodies, but … all the same, I'm pleased they didn't feel anything." He did, in fact, glance at her rump. He appreciated her athletic figure and not just her backside.

"You're staring."

"I am. But not just at your derrière."

"Oh, one of those fancy words from the old Fichinan language, again."

"Mm, yes. The language of love, some call it."

"Oh, please, get over yourself."

"I never came up with that phrasing."

"Ah…" Krystal had to admit, he was _always_ blunt, and _always_ honest. It was actually refreshing for a Lylat-born man to say what he meant and to mean what he said.

The hallway opened up into a cargo hold. It was small for a warehouse, but fairly large for a corvette ship.

Krystal placed a finger to her lips, signaling for silence. She sensed that Panther saw the gesture from behind her. She continued to approach what looked like Cornerian trucking trailers lining the port bulkhead.

Panther reached for his blaster but didn't withdraw it from his holster.

Krystal walked over to a wheeled ladder and rolled it over to the trailers, until it stopped in front of the seventh from the left. She ascended the ladder to one of the trailers on the third row up.

The trailer was lower than the top of the four-story ladder, which went nearly to the ceiling. She reached off to the left and opened the trailer door.

Inside was a man and a teenaged girl. Both looked alike, were calico-colored collies, and moved together, as if huddled in fear.

Krystal tilted her head at them. She leaned over the railing of the ladder, to better see the two at the far end of the fifty-foot-long trailer.

The man blinked at the sight of Krystal. "Uh … who are you?"

She smirked. "Who are _you_?"

"My name is Ülich Fenmoss. Who are _you_?" He approached Krystal at the entrance and looked her over as if sizing her up.

"You can call me … Night Rose. From a mercenary team hired to do a job. Who's the girl?"

"She's my daughter."

Krystal climbed over the railing of the ladder and stepped into the cargo trailer. She walked around the man and approached the girl. "Honey, it's okay. Is he hurting you?"

"Hurting her?" exclaimed Ülich.

"I, uh…" The sixteen-year-old girl shook her head. "No… he's my father like he said. Why would you think a father would hurt his daughter?"

Krystal sighed softly. More deception. More Lylatian deception.

But this girl didn't _mean_ to lie. She was simply _afraid_ to tell the truth.

Krystal shook her head with another soft sigh.

"Miss?" the girl said to Krystal, adding, "Did you hear me? He treats me like a daughter should be treated."

"I see." Krystal turned back to the man and said, "I'm browned off, so I'm just going to skip the formalities, then, yeah? You're the highest lieutenant of the Syndicate I'm hunting for. And, you're guilty of trafficking people. Not to mention sexual proclivities with minors. And, for the record, you've buggered this poor girl to death, and it's beyond disgusting."

"By the light of Lylat, are you crazy? I would _never_ have sex with my _own daughter_."

Krystal eyed him and rubbed her chin for a moment. "Mm, I believe you. You wouldn't hurt your _own_ daughter. The thing is, this girl isn't your daughter. Right breed, similar markings, and very similar bone structure, but you only met her a year ago. Roughly."

"What?! How can you say that?!"

Krystal scoffed at the man. She made a fist. "Because I'm telepathic. How many blue vixens have you ever seen from Corneria?"

"What? Blue dye is the fashion on Corneria right now. Has been for a few years, now."

Krystal laughed. "Is that so! Well, I had no idea I was a fashion object. Shows you how little I go to Corneria. Now, my assistant is going to cuff you. You're under arrest."

"On whose authority?"

"I suppose telepathy would never hold up in a Cornerian court of law. Even if it did, it's still my word against yours."

"Well, yes! Exactly that! So, go back to wherever you came from, and…"

"Shut it," Krystal snapped. "You're disgusting. A simple rape kit would be all I need as proof. Since she's a minor and your DNA would not match hers, it would be easy to…"

"You're _wrong_," said the man with a narrowed gaze. "Test her DNA! It will match mine!"

Krystal stared at him for a moment, as if sizing him up. "Mm, I see. You gave her a marrow transplant. So … _that's_ how the Syndicate has been keeping their sex slaves close – you make them into Chimera so at a glance, with a simple DNA kit, it looks like she's your relative. Then, no one questions your claim that she's a family member. Devious."

The man reached for a gun at the small of his back.

Krystal thrust her fist into his gut. She pivoted on her left heal, striking the man in his face with her right foot. The full roundhouse threw him out of the trailer. He landed on his back, right on the weapon hidden above the base of his tail.

He laid on the deck with a raspy groan, trying to suck in a breath of air.

Panther put his foot on the man's collarbone and pointed a blaster in the man's face. "Please. _Please_ give Panther a reason to put an eighth hole in your skull. Panther Caroso _does_ so _despise_ rape, _especially_ when it ruins the childhood of minors. Give Panther an _excuse_. The only thing keeping you alive is Panther's personal code of honor."

The man tried rolling over, but Panther wouldn't let him.

"Can't breathe," Ülich wheezed.

"What a shame." Panther unsheathed his claws and placed his paw above the man's abdomen. "Panther hears if you smack the bottom of a newborn, they suck in a breath of air. Panther does not think that will solve a distressed diaphragm, though. But these claws could make it so that your diaphragm feels this way forever."

Krystal called over the ledge, "He has a gun on his back."

Panther laughed. "No wonder he had the wind knocked out of him! He landed on it." Panther lowered to a knee and reached beneath the man. He took the weapon and held it up. "How … archaic. Lead bullets? You're not one of those people that dislikes technology, are you?"

The man continued to gasp for air.

Panther scoffed. He withdrew his paw and rested his palm against the hilt of his own blaster, holstered on his hip.

The wheezing man writhed about a bit, and then rolled onto his side.

With a smirk, Panther chided, "Longest ninety seconds of your life, isn't it?"

The man finally drew breath, held it for a few seconds, and released a ragged sigh, followed by drawing another weak breath. He remained lying on his side.

"All better, now, are you?"

The man rolled back to Panther with an emergency single-shot weapon drawn, and, in one quick motion, he fired the small gun.

Panther tilted his head back while pivoting sideways on his heel. The round passed so close to his cheek that he felt the burn.

But Panther was also ready for the attack. He withdrew his blaster in one quick movement, and then fired it just after the barrel cleared the holster, while it was still pointed downward at the deck.

The blast struck the man in the hip.

Ülich's body contracted. His eyes went wide, his limbs jutted outward and his fingers spread apart, wide open. He shuddered hard, then rolled onto his back with half-lidded eyes.

Panther lowered to one knee, holstered his blaster, and guided the man's eyelids shut.

Krystal peered over the side. "God, those things are _loud_."

"What?" Panther replied, his ears still ringing.

Krystal's eyes widened. "Your face!"

Panther barely heard her wording, but he saw her mouth moving, and understood her. He reached a paw up and touched his cheek. Blood matted the fur and dripped from his jawline. "Oh _no_," he murmured with a sigh of disappointment.

Krystal leapt from the trailer and landed half-way down the ladder. She jumped from the step, so that she wouldn't stumble, and landed in on the deck, crouched on all fours. She hurried over to Panther and cupped his face in her palms. "Let me see," she said in a stern voice.

Panther relaxed his body and let her lift his face.

"Well, the good news is, you won't have to dye a white streak on your right cheek anymore."

"I liked being able to dye it dark again, so I would not be easy to identify when visiting Corneria."

"Yeah, uh, those days are over, Panther."

He took a deep breath and sighed with a nod. "It is what it is."

She used her thumbs to spread the fur apart with a frown. "This … was close. But it will leave a mark. You've … been scarred."

Again, Panther sighed softly. "Sorry if he marred me. I thought I ducked my head back enough. I guess I didn't anticipate properly."

"Panther, you could have _died_."

"If he'd hit me in the chest, it would have been redirected by the armor plating."

Krystal glared at him. "And what would've happened if it went into your bicep? Whatever. It hit your face, and you're lucky it didn't go through your eye and out the back of your skull."

"Mm, yes, Wolf already has a trademark with the eyepatch."

"It would have gone through your brain, you dummy. You might have a thick skull, but not _that_ thick!" Krystal leaned down and snatched Ülich's handgun. "You didn't even take his weapon before killing him?"

"My blaster was on stun, remember? Although the men upstairs won't be waking up anytime soon due to shooting them in their faces. No worries about _my_ face – that's what laser surgery and follicle transplanting is for."

Krystal shook her head with a sigh and looked over his face again. "For now, I have some wound-seal powder in my medical kit. Still, you should have taken his weapon from him."

"I left the men that I shot with their weapons, too. We'll be gone before they wake. The Syndicate will handle them for failing to protect an asset." Panther took the weapon from Krystal, thumbed the chamber release, and showed her that the weapon was designed to hold only _one_ round. "But this man's failed attempt was his only chance. Single-shot weapon."

Krystal grimaced. "It was still _really_ loud. Why are those things so loud?"

Panther smiled followed by a wince of pain. He cleared his throat and said, "The gunpowder explodes, followed by the bullet breaking the speed of sound. While a blaster on full power superheats the air temperature to create a small thunder, a projectile-fired weapon uses an explosion to power a lead round forward. I can still hear the ringing in my ears."

Krystal frowned. "You could have died, you stupid boy."

Panther shrugged. "Then you would have killed him. You had the higher ground."

Krystal groaned. "Don't be so careless next time."

"Why? Are you going to kick me off the team for surviving something dangerous? Is this line of work too dangerous for me?"

Krystal gawked at him. She shook her head and rubbed her face. Then she chuckled softly, muffled into her paws.

"Well, are you?"

Krystal sighed. "No. I'm not Fox McCloud." She chuckled again, albeit weakly.

"I could have died, and your reaction is to laugh?" Panther grinned at her, then, once again, he winced in pain. "Ow."

She laughed again, shook her head, and took a deep breath to stop herself from deflecting with awkward chuckling. In a sarcastic voice, she replied, "Yes, Casanova, you're off the team for surviving a near death experience."

"What _doesn't_ kill us makes us stronger. Look at you, Krystal. You're stronger than ever before, am I right?"

She replied with a genuine smile. She gave his uninjured cheek a gentle pat, kissed his nose, and rubbed his face with her thumb. "Don't die, okay?"

"I promise I won't."

"Good." She headed for the ladder to get away from a situation that was quickly turning awkward.

Panther tossed the old fashion single-shot weapon across the cargo deck. It skittered across the deck plates, sliding somewhere beyond his sight. He forced Ülich over, and, with a soft sigh, he fished a zip-tie from a pocket on his outfit. He zip-tied the collie's paws together at the small of the dog's back.

Krystal stopped short of the ladder and glanced back at him, expecting him to ask a question.

"Have you used your name with anyone since arriving, Night Rose?"

Krystal gave the question some thought. "The skipper, up on the bridge. But a shortened version. Same as what I said to the girl, here."

"I'll see to it that the bridge crew _forgets_. I'll take the prisoners up to your ship and meet you there."

"What about your Wolfen?"

"You're right. I'll stuff this moron into the hold of my fighter and take it back to Sargasso. What will you do with the princess you've saved?"

"Take her to another castle, I suppose." Krystal made her way back up the ladder, glanced down at Panther, again, and said, "Get that man out of here. I don't want her to see him in any capacity. It'll be hard on her."

Panther nodded. "See you in space, _Night Rose_."

"I'll see you up in the gods, then. Don't get yourself killed, you gormless boy. Especially by that manky creature."

Panther tilted his head and eyed her. "In old Fichinian, we had a similar word with similar usage. Manqué. It generally means faulty, wasted…"

Krystal rubbed her chin. "Sick or unclean," she said, defining the word she used. "Cerinian shouldn't have words that are related to Old Fichina."

"Anything is possible."

She thought back to the fact she was genetically and sexually compatible with Fox McCloud, according to genetics tests. She bit her lower lip. "The Cerinian people used to live in Lylat. There were signs of them on Miracle, above Sauria."

"Fascinating. We'll have to explore that later."

"Maybe when I'm not so tired as to be on the verge of throwing a mardy."

"Mardi Gras? Will you wear beads?"

Krystal furrowed her brows at Panther. "Just … ponce off, you daft plebeian."

Panther smiled again. He lifted the man over his shoulder, winked at her, and turned for his ship. "Until next I see you, Space Rose."

Krystal took to the ladder, climbed into the trailer, and took the reluctant girl by her arm. In a softer voice, she told the girl, "Your captor is unconscious and being detained as part of a citizen's arrest. He and a doctored version of the surveillance footage will be submitted to the authorities. Corneria expects the criminally accused to stand trial and face their accuser. I'm not going to accuse him. I'm going to blur myself out and let the footage speak of his crimes. You're a teenage girl. Even if he doesn't answer for crimes as a Syndicate member, he'll _have to_ answer to the crime of statutory rape. I understand that Cornerian law has a minimum of fourteen years before you're eligible for parole for first-time offenders when it comes to statutory rape."

The girl swallowed. "But he … is my caretaker. Who will take care of me?"

Krystal sighed softly. "You've been programed to accept this jiggery-pokery as somehow being all right. He was _never_ your caretaker. He was your captor. As I understand it, Corneria has extensive sexual psychotherapy programs. It's free of cost, so you're in good hands."

The teenaged collie replied with a submissive nod. She bit her lower lip and held her paws outward, wrists together.

Krystal swatted the girl's forearms apart. "You're not my prisoner. You're my ward until I can take you to safety. What planet are you from?"

"Corneria," said the girl.

"Well, in that case, I'm taking you home."

"I haven't known anyone but 'Daddy' since he rescued me from the people that owned me, which goes back as long as I can remember. How do you know he's not really my father?"

"My God," Krystal whispered to herself. "He's not your _daddy_. If you've been missing, you will be in the Cornerian system. Your DNA has been altered, but Corneria will use biometric facial recognition software to determine your identity. They'll also use your dental bite to confirm it. Missing persons have their fingerprints taken from crime scenes when they are abducted, or from objects in their bedroom when the parents report you as missing. Those pads on your paws will get you to the proper home."

The girl's eyes glistened in the glow of the lighting installed on the ceiling of the trailer. "Whoever I go home with, I won't know them. You're sending me home to strangers."

Krystal sighed softly. She peered over the side of the trailer, watching as Panther carried off the unconscious man on his shoulder. The older male collie's face thumped against Panther's armored outfit, and his limp arms hung down adjacent to Panther's tail.

Panther carried the man to his ship, the Black Rose.

The girl bit her lower lip but said nothing.

Krystal turned back to the young lady in front of her, who was dressed in ankle-length tan and grey skirts and a simple white blouse. From the smell of it, the girl hadn't had a shower in at least two days. Three tops. The vixen sighed softly. "We'll need to get you a pair of plimsolls. Something with decent soles."

"Did you hear me?" asked the girl.

"What's your name?"

"Marie."

"Well, Marie, there's a woman on Corneria, who gave birth to a little girl. That woman, whatever her name may be, gave birth to you, then she drew you up and held you in her arms. She cried over your tiny squeaking body, kissed your eyelids, and sustained you from her bosom. She fell in love with you, and she was devastated when you were abducted. No doubt that her heart aches _every single day_ for the loss of her tiny baby. Now, maybe that woman has had more children since you went missing, maybe you were her only chance to be a mother. Doesn't matter. My point is, Marie, you lost out on a childhood and she lost out on the joys of motherhood … something every mother has the right to enjoy. She bonded with you, and you were stolen from her. That isn't like losing a favorite doll, or parting with a captor, with whom you've created a temporary bond. No, it's undoubtedly a nightmare beyond compare. She might even have PTSD over losing her child. She probably mourns you and visits an empty grave every year on your birthday and boxing day. She probably has random crying spells when she thinks about you, or something reminds her of you. I'm sure it's been that way for her since the day you disappeared, no matter how old you were when you were taken by that fop."

Marie swallowed.

"Now, you're young, Marie. Your understanding of empathy is new, and girls your age best empathize with those they have bonded, or when they see something heartbreaking happen. But I want you to empathize with the mother you don't remember, just for a moment, all right?"

She bit her lower lip again.

Krystal placed her palm on the girl's cheek. "Listen, lovie, I know you don't remember your family, but _they_ will remember _you_."

"Last time they saw me, I was in a stroller."

Krystal shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I'll bet you a fiver that they still have your pushchair … eh, stroller, I mean."

"You really think so?"

"Just … let Corneria get you in touch with them, so you can have the experience of knowing that love. Everyone deserves to know love like that … all right?"

Marie nodded in silence. She glanced away from Krystal, so that the blue vixen wouldn't see her eyes water with tears.

Krystal sighed softly. "Just … let Corneria put you in touch with your family. If you don't like them, or you think the parents are legally incapable of being parents, or if they're too damaged, then I'll make sure you have a way to get in touch with me, all right? And I'll do my best to keep you out of the red tops, Marie. Don't speak to any journalists. They'll twist everything."

Marie nodded, still facing away from Krystal. "Let's … uhm … let's go to Corneria before I change my mind."

Krystal walked to the edge of the trailer, pulled on the handrail, moving the ladder a little closer, and she gestured for Marie to climb onto it. "Be careful, all right?"

"Yeah … um, will I be called on to testify against the Syndicate?"

"Do you want to?"

"Have they done this to other girls?"

"Literally _tens of thousands_ of children. Girls, young boys, just … whoever the Syndicate member has a sexual attraction toward. And they traffic kids they don't want for themselves – they sell those kids to the highest bidder. From what I can tell, it's how that man, Ülich, wound up taking possession of you … he bought you. It's a rather grim group."

Marie brought a paw to her muzzle. She exhaled softly. "Will I have to testify if … if you kill them all?"

Krystal rubbed her chin in thought. "I … suppose not. My outfit is looking to shut them down by ensuring there is a lack of leadership. All right?"

Marie nodded. She climbed out onto the ladder, descended it with one paw on the railing, and the other on the hem of her skirts. At the bottom, she waited for Krystal on the cargo hold deck.

Krystal decided to earn the girl's trust by doing something flashy. She somersaulted from the lip of the trailer, three stories up, withdrew her staff, and activated the shield bubble. The shield struck the deck, absorbing the kinetic energy of her fall, as if the deck plates were an attacker.

Krystal dropped into a crouch with her right paw between her ankles and the staff held aloft in her left palm. She remained crouched. "That was a bit brilliant, then, yeah? Stuck the landing."

Marie bit her lower lip. "How … did you do that?"

"Practice from … it really doesn't matter. Just wanted to show off. Like it?" She remained in the crouched position, and swiveled her head, looking around the hold. She was glad to see that Panther was gone and had taken the Syndicate member with him.

"I … thought you were going to hurt yourself," Marie said with worry in her tone. "You're sure that you are okay?"

Krystal stood up with a smile and replaced her staff on her back. "Never better. Let's head up to the bridge. My ship is docked with the side of this corvette."

The teenager reached up, cupped Krystal's face, and kissed her on the lips.

Krystal felt a tongue tip against her pursed lips. She remained stoic, careful not to make any sudden moves that might startle the teen.

Krystal calmly brought her paws up, took the girl's forearms in her grasp, and guided Marie's wrists down. Then, she broke the kiss and shook her head.

"Oh … uh, are you straight? I'm sorry if I offended you."

Again, Krystal shook her head, followed by a disheartened sigh. "Marie, I'm just your rescuer. You have been through a lot, honey, but kissing me isn't necessary."

"But, I did it because I thought you'd like it. I wanted to thank you for helping me."

Krystal shook her head once more. She she guided the girl's palms together between her own. "No, Marie."

"You're straight, huh?"

"My sexual preference isn't a matter of concern, here."

"I'm not pretty enough for you?"

Krystal felt her heart ache with realization that this young girl had _so much_ baggage needing to be analyzed – it would take a professional to reset this girl. She took a deep breath, sighed softly, and said, "You'll soon learn that you can show appreciation without rodgering someone. Without, uh, sex. That's something the Cornerian therapists will address."

"I … _want_ to do this. You've certainly earned it. It's okay. I consent to it."

Krystal reached up and cupped the girl's face. "You only think you do. The heart wants what the heart wants, and I am flattered that you want to thank me in _any_ fashion. But, Marie, you have to understand something very important, okay?"

The collie stared at Krystal, while gently biting her lower lip, scared of rejection.

Krystal's heart ached for all that this poor girl had been through. She kept her paws on either side of Marie's face, so that their eyes met. "You've been conditioned to think that sex is an appropriate method of showing gratitude, and while I appreciate that you are thankful, I am satisfied with a simple '_thank you_.' The fact of the matter is … it's neither necessary nor appropriate for an adult, like myself, to accept a physical or otherwise sexual form of thanks or gratification from a minor. A hug is satisfactory, because you have my permission, but a kiss is, well, inappropriate."

"Oh … I … I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You didn't know. Like I said, you've been programmed … _conditioned_ … to think a certain form of behavior is expected or, to some extent, appropriate in any way."

"Oh, uh, well, all right…"

Krystal frowned. She could sense the teen's frustration and see her flustered expression. "Listen, Marie, I don't want you to feel rejected because I won't kiss you back. That's _not_ what's happening here, between us. A hug and a handshake? That would be _fine_. However, a kiss is, well, _not_ appropriate."

"I don't see why not. You look my age."

Krystal chuckled softly. "Well, I'm flattered you think so, but, in Cornerian years, I'm in my mid-twenties. I'm attracted to adults, and you're such a pretty young lady – you're going to make a future mate _very_ happy one day. Just do me a favor, all right? I want you to wait until the time is right."

"I … uh … I know how to cook. Can I cook something for you? Please?"

Krystal smiled. "That would be lovely."

Marie hugged Krystal but didn't let go.

After a few seconds, Krystal gently relinquished the hug, cleared her throat, and took the girl's paw. "Come with me. I'll show you the way back to the bridge."

Marie tried interlacing her fingers with Krystal's own.

With a soft sigh, Krystal released Marie's paw. "I'm sorry, but I prefer to hold hands _like that_ when I am in a relationship with someone. That sort of thing takes time to build up rapport and emotional history. Then, when it's appropriate to do so, holding hands is a nice way to share affections. But there are no romantic affections between us, all right?"

"I … I understand. I'm sorry. I keep messing up."

Krystal frowned thoughtfully. "You haven't done anything wrong. It's how you were groomed."

"So, am I, uh … broken?"

Krystal felt a pang in her heart. She repressed her emotions over the last few months, but this situation was so overwhelming. She shook her head emphatically "No, no! You're _not_ broken, sweetie … you just don't know any other way. You were raised by a trainer, not by society. We'll get you right in no time."

"How?"

"Well, Marie, you just need to be reprogrammed. In no time at all, appropriate behavior will be second nature to you. I've heard that Cornerian therapists are highly regarded for their methods of helping young persons. Now, come with me. We'll head back to my ship and you can take a shower and … I think I have sweats that will fit you until we can launder those…" Krystal trailed off.

"These?" Marie reached down and fluffed her dingy skirts.

"Better yet, I will find you something fresh and new to wear. Something with no weird memories attached."

"Thank … erm … thank you, miss…?" Marie trailed off with an expectant tone. Either she'd forgotten that Krystal had introduced herself as 'Night Rose,' earlier, or she wasn't paying attention while Krystal was speaking to Marie's captor.

Krystal feigned a weak smile. "Just … call me, uh, Night Rose."

"Are you some sort of superhero? I mean, y'know, with a name like _Night Rose_, you sound like a superhero."

Krystal looked away, flustered. "I'm no superhero. I'm just a mercenary doing a job. Just remember this … don't give away your body until you've found someone worth giving your heart. And wait until you're engaged to be married before you consider making love to them. And make sure you know them better than they know themselves before you get to that point. Because you never know when that person's real colors will show."

"How do you mean?" asked Marie.

"You don't want them to hurt your heart simply because the two of you have a difference of opinion on a deeply fundamental level. Just make sure you know them, and they accept you for who you want to be … _before_ you agree to open your heart, your arms, or your legs to them."

"I … think I understand. Make sure they're really your soulmate, and make sure you're truly compatible before you agree to have sex with someone. Is that it?"

Krystal replied with a truly genuine smile. "You're a quick learner."

"I hope so … I think I might have a _lot_ of learning to do, Night Rose. Gut feeling."

Krystal guided the girl through the hallway back the way she'd come from.

The attackers from earlier were still unconscious and provided no resistance to their escape.

Krystal guided the girl to the lift, let her board first, and they took it up to the bridge.

Up on the bridge, the doors swished open, and Krystal pointed her staff outward.

The bridge staff was dead … killed execution style. Their bodies were laid out neatly beyond the helm control console.

"Well, someone left this place at sixes and sevens, good heavens. It couldn't have been Caroso, and it surely wasn't me."

The girl's nose twitched at the smell of blood. "Someone killed members of the crew?"

"Yeah. And they sorted the bodies. Whoever did this, I'm surprised they didn't leave it all shambolic, you know? Just … don't look."

"I won't, Ms. Night Rose."

Krystal guided the girl around the bridge in a way that she would be spared the sight of four dead bodies. She helped the girl through the hatch, into her ship, then followed her through, closed the hatch to the corvette, then the hatch to the Cloudrunner.

"Do you suppose it was thee, uh, syndicate?"

"No one else boarded the ship, Marie. I would have known, or Panther would have called it in that someone snuck aboard to tie up loose ends."

"What if it was a piloting droid?"

Krystal grimaced at the thought of ROB64 being programmed to do such things. She shook her head with a frown. "Let's hope not, but you could be right. I take it you've seen such things before?"

"I, uh…" Marie frowned. "Maybe."

Krystal typed a pin-code into a keypad installed adjacent to the boarding panel. She pressed 'enter' and said, "_Authorization Code: Kilo, Romeo, Yankee, Sierra, Tango, Alpha, Lima, India, Sierra, Charlie, Uniform, Romeo, Sierra, Echo, Delta_," which broke the forcefield seal between the two vessels.

"That's a lot of letters to memorize."

Krystal feigned a weak smile. "Not if you know the significance of the order."

"Oh."

Krystal pointed to a small closet and said, "Behind the door, there, is a set of drawers. Pants are in the bottom, undergarments are in the middle drawer, and tops are, well, in the top drawer. You look like you're a similar build, but if all else fails, sweats will surely fit you; they have a drawstring. Take what you need, go into the shower, and take as long as you need."

Marie bit her lower lip, then, in a soft voice, asked, "What's your dress size?"

"When I arrived on Corneria the first time, a size-2 was a tiny bit loose, but it fit me best. However, I've gained quite a bit of muscle mass since working as a mercenary. And, yet, Cornerian cuisine has made me a bit top-heavy, I'm afraid." Krystal cleared her throat. "I'm a size-4, now."

"I can manage a size-2 but I'll need a belt if we're talking about denim pants. Else they won't stay up." Marie changed the subject rather suddenly. "How long does your hot water last?"

"It's a tankless heater design. The reservoir should have a little over one hundred gallons of water. There's no tub, just a stand-up shower. But it recycles water that goes through the drain, so you can take as long as you like."

"I, uh … thank you."

Krystal smiled and nodded. "I'm going to pilot us out of this system."

"Awkward question, but … are you _sure_ you don't want to join me?" Marie swallowed, and then, in a softer tone, she added, "…In the shower?"

Krystal shook her head. "Honey, you're a teenager. What, fifteen? Sixteen? Don't answer, it doesn't matter. It's rhetorical."

"But you saved me, Ms. Night Rose."

"You're very welcome for the assistance, but I'm just doing my job"

"Um … if you change your mind, just … join me. You don't have to ask, you can just walk in."

Krystal shook her head. "No, Marie. I shan't, love. I need to have an emotional attachment to someone before I feel comfortable to engage them physically. All right?"

"Is it because you just came out of a relationship or something? Just tell me."

"I am, Marie. I'm telling you the truth – it's inappropriate for an adult to be with a minor. And, well, even if I was looking, I would not be interested in someone quite so young. But I hope you find someone your age … someone with whom you can one day share your best and worst side without reservation."

Marie nodded, swallowed, and said, "Well, like I said. If you change your mind … you know where I'll be."

"Enjoy your shower, sweetheart. Go ahead and grab something to wear. Dirty laundry goes into the chute on the bulkhead directly across from the sink. Or in the corner of my bedroom, I suppose. Anyhow, I'll see you after your shower. Hopefully, by the time you've finished, we'll be closing on Cornerian airspace." Krystal walked to the bathroom door and opened it for the girl. "Now, go on."

Marie opened the bottom and top drawer in the closet. She found a very plain dark blue sweat set, then she carried them into the bathroom. "Thanks again for your kindness."

"Thanks again for understanding that I wasn't rejecting you."

"I'm … trying."

Krystal looked down with a sigh. She decided to try another tactic. "Marie, while it's true what I said earlier – you're too young for me, you were right about one thing … I just came out of a complicated physical relationship. I was with the man for several years, and it only-recently became fully physical…"

"As in … you went '_all the way_' for the first time?"

Krystal felt flush in the face. "Uh, well, yes. And the first few times with him were very nice. Lovely, even. I thought I'd finally found it – true love. An orgasm isn't necessarily true love, and too often, a woman will experience one and convince herself that she's found true love."

"You mean like … with Daddy?"

Krystal eyed the girl. "Don't call him that."

"Right, sorry. Uh, so, what happened with your first love?"

Krystal licked her lips and sighed softly through her nose. "Things were going swell. Brilliant, even. And then … he became weirdly possessive, and I ended it with him. There was a ring involved and everything. Even _if_ you were an adult, the fact remains that _I'm_ not ready for another physical relationship with _anyone_, all right?"

"Because you have to build up feelings first?"

Krystal smiled. "Exactly. And _that_ won't happen until I work through mourning my last relationship."

"How long will it take you to get over the feelings you had with your last boyfriend? Er, fiancé, I mean. I'm not asking because I want to be with you. I'm asking because I don't know how long I'll be over … my … ex."

"He's not your ex. He was your captor. And that's in the past, now. It may take days, weeks, months, or even years. When you think you're over him, you'll be lying to yourself. Then, one day, you'll truly be over him. Healing is different for every woman."

"I see. I think, deep down, I truly hated him. I just didn't know it until now … because now I can finally admit it. I'm a little confused. I know you're telling me we're not related, but I keep wondering if we were. And I keep thinking, 'what if…?' but, somehow, I know you're not lying to me. I just … I know it. And … uh, I find you very attractive, but I'm mostly attracted to your honesty with me."

Krystal _sensed_ the girl's attraction to her savior. The vixen sighed and shook her head at the collie. "Honey, there is a very, very, _very_ lovely man or woman in your future. I'm simply not that person."

"I know. You're being honest about that, too. And while I don't expect a relationship, if you ever decide to experience a one-night stand with a girl in your future, just … look me up. I'll be eighteen before you know it."

Krystal shook her head. "You're relentlessly motivated. I'll give you that much. This is extremely awkward for me, and I'm hoping you'll leave it be, because I don't respond well to people who are pushy or demanding. Please understand my feelings. Also, it's time for you to clean up, dear."

"I, uh … I'm sorry I made you feel uncomfortable." Marie unzipped a netting in front of shelves of bath towels. She set the borrowed sweats atop the towels. She decided to change the subject all together. "Why is there netting here?"

"In case I get into an atmospheric-based dogfight with my fighter, the towels won't wind up all over the floor … er, well, deck."

"Oh, that makes sense." Marie turned away from Krystal and dropped her skirts around her ankles. She didn't wear undergarments. She withdrew the blouse and put both into the chute across from the sink. She removed a simple slightly dingy bra and put it with the borrowed clothes.

Krystal sighed. She glanced at the girl's body, but only to check her for any signs of physical abuse, like scars, burn marks, or other forms of mistreatment from her captors. Satisfied that, at a glance, the girl seemed uninjured, she turned away to give the girl privacy. "Enjoy your shower."

"Oh, I will. I haven't had one in days, and I almost never get to have the entire shower to myself."

"Well, get used to that, Marie. You'll be taking them by yourself for the rest of your days until _you_ choose to share one with whomever you decide to marry."

"Okay." Marie stepped into the shower. "You're not going to get into a dogfight while I'm in here, are you?"

Krystal chuckled. "There's a safety feature that senses your presence in the cabin. If the Cloudrunner spins about in space, gravity and inertial dampeners will make it so you don't even feel it. But, if I were to get into a skirmish in-atmosphere, force fields would surround you to keep you from falling."

"So … either way, I'd be safe?"

Krystal nodded firmly. "Yes. You'd be safe in the shower. I promise. Although, in an atmospheric battle, the water might hover when I pull high-G maneuvers. It would probably turn into a fine mist – I would hate for you to get water up your nose. Not very pleasant."

Marie chuckled a bit. "Eww."

"I'll … be in the cockpit."

"Thanks again." Marie quickly turned to Krystal and kissed her _cheek_.

Krystal froze, then she cleared her throat. "That … was better. I'll accept that." She averted her eyes so as not to look at the teen's body head-on.

"Did … I do something wrong? You looked away."

"You've done nothing wrong," said Krystal. "I'm looking away out of respect for the privacy you deserve, even if you don't think you need or want it. It's social custom to give you privacy, all right?"

"I understand."

Krystal replied with a soft smile, still keeping her eyes averted from the girl's body.

"When I was with … him … and he had friends over, it was expected that I present myself naked when asked, and act as normal as if I were dressed as a formal social."

Krystal grimaced. "It's a shame I no longer have the ability to go and punch him in his face. I would like nothing more than to tonk him in his smug face with my bloody staff. Which … reminds me, I need to clean it."

"Tonk him?"

"Too right." Krystal nodded firmly. "Tonk'im for six." She exhaled. "It's an expression based on a popular sport in Cerinia. It's not too terribly different than Corneria's baseball. Except that it's … actually fundamentally different once the bat is swung."

"Oh." Marie shrugged. "I don't know anything about sports. Cornerian or otherwise. And, uh, I've never heard of Cerinia."

"Either way, I did my best to speak brilliant toff, but lately I have been backsliding to some vernacular I intended to leave in my past. Just … ignore my silly-sounding words."

"I … actually like hearing it."

"Mm, well, cheers. I'll be in the cockpit. I'll let you know when we're nearing Corneria. Should take about three hours."

"Okay." Marie stepped into the shower, took one look at the controls, and turned on the hot water with relative ease.

Krystal zipped up the net in front of the towel shelf, stepped out of the bathroom, and touched a panel that closed the door.

She exhaled hard with a shake of her head and headed for her cockpit. "Bloody teenaged sexual tension. Bloody dripping with it, she was. God, I couldn't focus on my _own_ thoughts, her hormones were screaming so loud. My goddess. What the hell is wrong with Lylat teenagers?"

Silence.

Krystal slumped into her chair and rubbed her face. "Awkward little totty … leering at me like that."

Silence.

The vixen opened a data-channel and texted Panther to inform him of her destination, then she plotted a course for Corneria. With another soft sigh, she set the autopilot and reclined in her seat.

Something told her that it was going to be a _very_ long three-hour trip, and a very long night.


	18. Something New

Author's Note: _If you're a fan of Panther X Krystal, then this chapter is FOR YOU. _

_Okay, we have reached the penultimate upload for this story (in other words, the next chapter is the epilogue). Yes, Panther and Krystal finally get physical in this chapter, but this is FanFictionNet, and their terms of service ask writers not to detail sex as would occur in a porno, and to keep sexual activity detailed as one would see it in a PG13 movie, so that the viewer knows they are mating, but not much more than that. _

_If you want to read the adult version, look up my SoFurry account on my profile page. FFnet won't let me link to it or to the story, so I made it so you guys will be able to find it. Or, just google "Reflections of Fate Kit Karamak SoFurry" and you'll find it. It's adult, so I have no idea if you'll need to make an account to see it. But, eh, whatever. _

_It's not like you're missing much, just a few adjectives, adverbs, and the descriptive movements of their actions. It doesn't take away anything from the storyline. _

_Okay, my next update will close out this story, which leads up to playing Star Fox Command on the DS or Wii-U Virtual-Store. Then comes Reflections of Regret, which also has an unabridged version on my SoFurry page.  
Thanks for reading, everyone!_

* * *

Chapter -18-  
_Something New_

_Six hours later,  
Autopilot path somewhere between Corneria and Sargasso_…

**Panther drew her into a half-hug** and frowned. "That sounds … awful. Thank you for opening up to me; no one should keep that sort of thing to themselves. It's unhealthy."

Krystal ran her paw through the cerulean locks of her head-fur with a soft sigh. She let him put an arm around her because, well, she didn't know why. "That's really mature of you to feel that way. Um, well…"

Silence.

Krystal cleared her throat. "So, Marie, she said her name was … she, uh, told me she's willing to see what her folks're like on a trial basis, so there's that."

Panther poured the last of the wine bottle into Krystal's glass. "Number two for you, number three for me."

"Should I get another bottle?" asked Krystal.

"No, I think it would be best to stop here. Enough to relax, but not so much that we are unable to pilot our ships."

"Fair," said Krystal with a nod.

"I hate to ask but … what did you think of the girl's parents? I mean, this isn't a fairytale, so I half expect them to be broken and incapable of parenting, or the home is already broken and the two live apart, or they are financially immature, or…"

Krystal shook her head. "It was a beautiful, clean, posh suburban home about an hour outside of the Capital City. The driveway was large enough I was able to land Cloudrunner in front of the home."

"…_Really_? Did they seem like capable parents?"

Krystal replied with a firm nod. "They have a seven-year-old boy and a thirteen-year-old daughter; both seem very well adjusted. Both children already knew the story of their missing sister, and they were eager to meet Marie. Both parents were _over the moon_, as the expression goes, and they agreed with my recommendation regarding sexual psychotherapy from a professional."

"How did the mother take it? Learning her daughter had been accosted, I mean."

Krystal frowned thoughtfully, and spoke in a respectful tone, regarding Marie's mom. "The mother was a child victim, herself. Not to the level of Marie, but she mentioned something called Oppositional Defiance Disorder, and how she came back from the brink, and … she seems capable of being empathetic to Marie's abuse."

"It sounds as though this girl is actually _really lucky_."

"Agreed, Panther. I won't lie or try sounding like some sort of tough Star Wolf mercenary … I cried."

"To see them reunited?"

Krystal nodded. "Yes, love. It was something I'll never forget. Just being part of that … my heart feels lighter than it has in ages. I almost forgot what it feels like to let myself _feel_ again…"

"Mm, maybe life has a few fairytales left to tell after all."

"Maybe so. Although I'm not ready to wear my own heart on my sleeve again. That's something I'll keep a tight leash on."

"I understand," said Panther. "Wait, Oppositional Defiance Disorder? That's a thing?"

"Yes," she said in a soft tone. She took a sip from her refreshed glass of wine, then a second sip. "It's where you don't trust positions of authority because the victim was typically abused by someone of authority." She paused, then, with a frown and a softer tone, she added, "Like if a babysitter victimizes a child, that child may grow up to distrust persons of authority, like, for example, teachers or even parents. Or, the child may distrust all babysitters going forward, and only feel safe with a small group of adults, like latching on to a single role model, especially if that role model is a bad influence."

"Like if a stepparent harms the child, and the child latches onto the parent, and tries to drive a wedge between the two adults…"

Krystal nodded. "This sort of behavior pattern will sometimes manifest when the child becomes older."

"Manifests how?"

Krystal shrugged her shoulders. "Depends on the victim. Sometimes, perhaps, as a distrust in governments, police officers, such and so forth."

Silence.

Krystal frowned. "I hope I am explaining this right. I'm not a professional therapist, after all."

Panther nodded and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. He took a sip from his own wine glass, in his other paw, and asked, "So, Krystal, you're telling me that Wolf O'Donnell would be labeled by society as _ODD_?"

"Well, I mean…"

Panther continued. "Funny when considering Wolf, because he's a self-labeled 'rebel,' but to label a _child_ as ODD seems trite, if not outright disrespectful to the child."

Krystal smiled a bit, but it vanished as quickly as it was offered. "You know … you're right. It _is_ unfair to a victimized child to label them 'ODD' … bloody churlish, really. I can only imagine how offensive and condescending it would seem to that child as they grow into their pre-teen and teenaged years."

"Exactly right. Someone like Wolf would chuckle and roll his eyes. A child, however, would feel further disrespected by the system that is supposed to be in place to protect said child."

For once, Krystal felt truly impressed by Panther. "I … admit, I really like that you're taking this conversation so … seriously. I appreciate that."

"It is a serious subject."

She nodded in agreement. "You know, Panther, you're … not what I originally thought you'd be."

"Well … _I_ appreciate _that_. So, thank you."

Her smile broadened a bit. She looked around the Cloudrunner's interior. Her laundry was still in the corner … well, some of it. Along with the basket on its side.

Awkward silence.

Krystal exhaled. "You want to fly this way all the way back to Sargasso, Panther? With your Wolfen cloaked and attached to the bottom of my ship?"

"The cloak will last so long as the engines are shut down. The generator can only power the cloak or the plasma engines."

"That's a bit of a cock-up, though, isn't it?"

"Not really, Krystal. It's designed for leaving my ship in the field during a ground-based mission. It's painted black for space fighting, after all."

"What about upgrading to a larger generator?"

"A higher-output generator would be larger, and the Wolfen is already too large, in my opinion. It doesn't need any more bulk."

"Says the man who installed a huge afterburner manifold and a plasma laser from a capital ship, with the barrel sawed off."

Panther chuckled. "Yes, the 'Zapper' is unnecessarily large, but I was a sniper when I performed assassinations. It's my preferred method of killing. But, to answer your previous question … yes, if you don't mind, I would like to continue on to Sargasso in this fashion. Once we enter Bolse sector, I will use it to cloak the Cloudrunner, and I will take command of the Wolfen. It's the best way out of this part of the system. Do you … mind?"

"No," she replied in a soft tone. "But I have patrol duty tomorrow. My shift starts at noon. I have to be back to Corneria before then. But I can take the nearest jump-gate to Corneria, since I won't have the Wolfen attached during my return trip, later tonight."

"You're going to be tired after doing two jobs. Then you'll have to fly all the way back to Corneria. You truly wish to do all of that tonight? You'll have been awake roughly twenty-three hours. Can I talk you into saying in a guest room this evening? Better safe than sorry, you don't want to fly that tired."

Krystal rubbed her chin in thought. "I mean … how about I give it some thought?"

Panther nodded. "No rush; think it over all you like. If you feel you can handle it, I will respect your decision. But, please, fly safe, not tired."

"Oh, come off it, Panther." Krystal eyed him. "Are you just saying that to see if you can get me to stay the night with you?"

"Again, I would find you a guest room. Wolf keeps _very_ nice guest rooms for when he's trying to impress a client. You've not seen them, but you would be impressed. I was, and I have high standards."

"Do you now?" She chuckled. "I sleep best in my own bed." She patted the mattress of her bed, where she sat on the edge of the frame with Panther at her side. "So, maybe I'll sleep in the flight hanger, in the Cloudrunner, in my own bed."

"Whatever you prefer."

"Thanks, Panther. After my patrol, I'll come back to Sargasso. If Wolf has no jobs lined up, we can … 'hang out.' How's that?"

"That would be lovely."

"You've been a perfect gentleman, just like when we had lunch together that one time. Well, you did a little hard flirting last time, but this time you've been well behaved."

Panther chuckled. "Don't tell Wolf on me. He doesn't want '_well behaved_' on his team."

"You know what I mean."

Panther replied with a toothy smile. "Yes, I know what you mean by that."

"It's refreshing," she admitted. "Not saying I'm un-used to it, just … I mean, I expected things to be awkward with you, but they haven't been awkward at all."

"Except the traumatic moment with the girl. I'm sure _that_ was quite awkward."

"Well, yeah. I just meant … things haven't been awkward with _you_, and I appreciate that."

"I'm glad we can be friends." He put his arm around her shoulders.

She glanced at his arm on her shoulder. She expected it to be weird but … it wasn't. "Even this whole … being close … thing … doesn't feel as awkward as I thought."

Panther replied with a soft smile and gently eased his arm from her shoulders. He rested both paws on his lap. "I'm proud of you."

"Are you, now…"

He nodded firmly. "Yes, I am. That girl, Marie, is going to have a better life because of you. Don't tell Wolf I said that. He doesn't care about that sort of thing because his own childhood was apparently rough. He doesn't talk much about it, so details are vague. But this girl? She is not Wolf. It seems to me that Marie deserves a better life than what she's experienced of it thus far. Now, thanks to you, I have high hopes for her."

"Me, too," Krystal said, followed by a genuine smile. "That was really sweet of you, just now, Panther."

"You know, you are one of the only people to see the real … the _genuine_ me. The 'me' that I do not share with others. Not my teammates, not anyone. But why do I share with you in this way? I do not know. There is something disarming about you, Krystal."

"You probably figure that, well, because I'm a telepath, there's nothing to hide."

Panther shook his head. "No, that isn't it. I don't even _try_ to put on airs with you. I just feel I can talk to you naturally. I do not have to be fake with you."

"Do you want your psychological profile from Cornerian intelligence? Because it's nothing like who you are in person."

"Well, that's good to know … I've fooled their experts, have I?"

Krystal chuckled. "They'll never get to see this side of you."

"I want _your_ psychological profile of me. How's that?"

Krystal chuckled, followed by a shrug and nod. "Okay, fine. You're one person in battle, sure, and anyone can write a paper on how your alter ego is battling your '_id_' for control of your super-ego. But truth be told, I know it's an act. I've known since day one. The flirting, the Casanova act, the sexually dominant commentary? It's what you do to turn off everything else because you're focused on your work. It's kind of like deflection in a way."

"Now, which one is my alter ego?"

She glared at him with a wry grin. "Okay, I'll play this game, silly as ya' like."

"Good. Go on, then."

Krystal smirked. "Your alter ego is the one that speaks in the third person about how great you are. Y'know, you didn't use to do that back during the Aparoid Invasion. What changed?"

"I was taking on a character for a job recently. I _really_ enjoyed it. It amused me. In no time at all, I started adopting it as my work persona. It annoys Wolf and Leon. That was an unexpected bonus, which cemented my preference to speak in the third person whenever we engage enemy fighters."

"Well, I'm glad you're happy to show me the real you."

Panther smiled softly. "What if my alter ego takes over my super-ego? Am I using these terms correctly? What I mean is, _what if_ I become the man that speaks in the third person all the time?"

Krystal chuckled. "Then, eventually, I'll decide to slap you upside the head. No, seriously, I know it's an act. If you start acting like that all the time, I'll just tell you that you're being annoying."

Panther chortled softly in a guttural tone. "Good. Speak your mind with honesty. It's your integrity that I find attractive. You don't beat around the bush. I've had that from a past relationship. I dislike it."

"You cherish honesty, hm?"

"It's real. Now, I'm not talking about adopting a persona for work. I can be real and still speak of myself in the third person. I'm talking about _you_. You _always_ speak your heart, and you always act with personal honor. I mean, you are flying for the Cornerian military, yet you are moonlighting for Star Wolf. Why? Because you believe in our new philosophy."

"What, get rich on the deserving, instead of just anyone?"

"Well, yes, actually." Panther chuckled with a shake of his head. "This Syndicate – they deserve to be dismantled. And instead of filling the power vacuum that they will undoubtedly leave, Wolf wants to destroy _all_ drug production, personally sell off all the product until it is gone, liberate all the sex slaves, and, finally, break the trafficking infrastructure. He wants to expose _all_ the rich perverts. And, sure, it will destroy a few lives, like the families that these perverts keep around as fronts for their operations, but I feel no compunction in that."

"Oh, you don't, do you?" She grinned at him just a little bit.

Panther took a sip from his wine glass. "Would _you_, as a woman, want to stay married to someone who is cheating on you with girls half your age?"

"No."

"Exactly. It is better to expose these men and ruin a few marriages than to let them operate as they have been. Wolf wants to pull apart their operations so fully and completely that there is no vacuum where any other power can form anytime soon."

"Does Wolf really believe that is a realistic expectation? Even Cerinia had its share of sexually broken people. It was harder to mask due to everyone being telepathic, but it was never impossible."

"Wolf's goal is to make profiting off such behavior nearly impossible. He wants to break criminal empires in such a way that only old fashion crimes would even be possible … the sort of crimes that do not absolutely disgust him."

"Again, that sort of goal sounds _too_ lofty."

Panther shrugged. "Perhaps it is impossible. But Wolf has a plan. All I know is that he believes his plan will lead to the complete eradication of sex trafficking and it will cripple the drug cartels operating around Lylat. His plan also involves making certain drugs impossible to recreate by destroying the suppliers' way of manufacturing synthetic chemical compounds, and then killing anyone that knows how to recreate them."

"So, by making certain drugs extinct, and by making it more difficult to traffic people, Wolf will … do _what_?"

Panther replied with a smile. "Wolf will make it too difficult to rebuild empires based on that sort of depravity. When Star Wolf has finished its work, criminals will want to avoid everything about that nonsense. Mostly because it will be so fully exposed and broken. There will be no way to end the business of prostitution, assassinations, or enjoying a harmless high from harmless plants or chemicals used by recreational stoners, but the drugs that break people at the core? Those will be impossible to obtain because Wolf's plan _also_ involves making a certain plant completely extinct in Lylat."

Krystal nodded in understanding. "I think I understand, now. Wolf wants to destroy the synthetic compounds used in violent drugs, and eliminate the plants used in causing sex victims to become placid, then he wants to make it so there is no longer a rich circle of scumbags buying youth for sex. They'll all be in prison and ruined."

"No, love … Wolf wants to _eat the rich_, so to speak. Absorb them and their wealth, _and then_ leave them dead or broken … or both. You know the plant I mentioned? It's used to make two drugs. One makes people placid and accepting, sexually. The other drug made from that plant allows rich old perverts to perform, sexually, at an advanced age. The eradication of that plant is crucial to Wolf's grand plan."

Krystal brought a paw to the bottom of her muzzle. She rubbed her jawline in thought. "What about the man you captured?"

Panther snickered softly. "Wolf is acquiring all of that man's legal businesses as we speak. That man is being forced to tell all of his contacts, and those people are becoming targets for Star Wolf's next attack."

"What is Wolf's endgame," asked Krystal. She took another two sips from her wine glass.

"If you absorb all the other criminal empires, dismantle them, and operate these businesses legally, the criminals are beaten from the inside out. Wolf gets rich. The assassin guilds, sex traffickers, and cartels are ruined."

"That sounds like it will take a long time to achieve all of those goals."

"It would be easier if we still had all of those willing mercenaries."

Krystal thought back to Ruffian and the other simians that worked for Star Wolf once upon a time. "Do you miss having an army?"

Panther laughed. "An '_army_,'" he replied, followed by a shake of his head. "You mean the monkeys that didn't want to side with Andrew?"

"Yes, the men and women that flew and fought for Wolf leading up to the events of the Aparoid Assault on Lylat."

Panther nodded with a soft sigh. "Yes, I suppose it was nice having our own private army of mercenaries. But that's gone, now. Wolf's plan was _always_ to dismantle Andrew's forces by buying them out and breaking Venom's muscle."

"What changed?"

"Well, Venom's soldiers were afraid to fight for Wolf, to be honest. First, Star Fox killed dozens upon dozens of capable men. Then, while Star Wolf and Star Fox were working together outside of Lylat, _nearly all_ of the surviving mercenaries were absorbed by the Aparoids that were still operating in Lylat before the queen was shut down."

"Wait, all those men that survived Star Fox's raid on Sargasso … were turned into Aparoids?"

Panther nodded. "While we were working to save Star Fox, well, there was no one to protect Sargasso. Ruffian and a few others have survived. But, out of five hundred soldiers for hire, less than twenty-five men are still alive. The rest became Aparoids."

Krystal brought a paw to her muzzle.

"When the queen died, the commands stopped coming in, and the Aparoid drones failed to function. So, those men, recently transformed, had no instructions. They didn't eat; they didn't sleep. They just withered away until the 'apoptosis virus' command made its way to Lylat via subspace relay buoys. Then, all at once, those men just … _died_. Right where they stood."

"Oh, my _goddess_."

"It was … unforgettable. Lylat has changed dramatically because of the Aparoid Assault. The fact that sex rings and drug cartels are thriving is a testament to the fact that death and depression will breed depravity as a coping mechanism for even the best of men."

Krystal swallowed. She lowered her eyes.

Panther continued. "It takes true inner strength to wade through bodies, and even the most resilient of men will still find a piece of their soul dying. And, there in, lies the road to drinking, drugs, and the darker forms of entertainment that would have been otherwise avoided."

Krystal cut her gaze away from him. "This conversation is getting a bit heavy-handed." She finished the rest of her wine glass all in one gulp.

Panther nodded in agreement. "I would much rather talk about being allowed to kiss you."

Krystal bit her lower lip. For once, she wasn't offended by his suggestion. She decided to do it and see if regret nested in her heart. She leaned forward.

Panther met her the rest of the way. He slanted his muzzle across hers, kissing her firmly.

And she … _didn't_ hate it.

She sensed he was going to break the kiss prematurely, by standing up, so she reached up and grasped his flight suit by the handle beneath the rose-painted plate over his solar plexus.

She stood with him, so that the kiss was not broken.

She draped her other arm over the back of his neck, and, just because, she lifted her right foot until the heel of her shoe touched the base of her tail.

Admittedly, the kiss wasn't _quite_ as good as kissing Fox the very first time, but, after what she'd been through with Fox, the kiss felt oddly emotional and pleasing.

She couldn't be sure why she liked it as much as she did, but kissing a bad guy felt more like kissing a bad boy than a bad man. And that? …wasn't so bad.

X

* * *

X

_Two hours from Sargasso_…

**Krystal broke the kiss** and lifted her gaze to Panther's own.

His big brown eyes were conflicted with both confidence and insecurity.

She cut her gaze to the empty mattress, then she met his eyes again. She nodded at him in silence, and then sat back down on the edge of the bed.

Panther returned the nod, pleased to receive her permission. He placed his large paws on either side of her ribcage, beneath her arms, and lifted her from the edge of the mattress. He set her down, diagonally, across the center of the bed, moving over her, and pressed his lips to hers again.

She reached around him with one paw, clinging to him, but kept herself somewhat propped on one elbow.

Panther leaned forward until her back met the sheets.

She reached for the release switch on his hip, causing the armored cuirass to unclasp along his right side, then she reached for the switch on his other hip, causing the breast plating to unclasp along his left side.

Panther placed his paws on either side of her body, so that he hovered just above her on the bed.

Krystal pulled the front of his cuirass out from beneath their bodies. She glanced at the rose painted on the front, then she tossed it aside. It thudded softly on the floor. She reached around him, guided the backside of the armor, and tossed it aside with its other half.

Beneath his fancy armor was a simple A-frame shirt.

She reached down and found the clasp release for his armored leggings, then kicked them away. Both pieces, front and back, thudded on the floor.

Panther kept his arms locked, so that he was still above her, wearing only the A-frame and a … thong?

Krystal looked down between their bodies, eyebrows arched in surprise. "I did _not_ see _that_ coming."

"Really? I thought it would be obvious. I have a reputation to uphold, not that I have shown it to any other women."

"But … a thong?"

"They're called micro-briefs." Panther chuckled, adding, "Boxers bunch up when walking or running in my flight suit."

"Yeah, uh, I think it's time to get boxer-briefs."

"Are you not amused, though?"

Krystal chuckled. "Okay, I admit … I'm definitely _amused_. But, here, let me help you with those." She reached down, between their bodies, and took the fabric over the front in both of her paws, and carefully ripped it until it no longer clung to his body. She tossed it back, between the nightstand and bed, so that it was lost. "There. Much better. Those were simply horrid and…" she trailed off. Her eyes stopped on his manhood.

"And…?" He tilted his head, watching her eyes.

"And … that's … thicker than I expected it to be."

"Ah." He placed his paws on her hips and rolled her onto her tummy with ease. Then, he unzipped her flight suit from the base of her tail, up her spine, to her collar. "How do you put this on by yourself?"

Krystal pointed at a hook on the wall. "Easy, you hook the zipper on that, then you squat to take it off, and stand up to put it on. Then, I reach back, lift my hair, and unhook the zipper from the wall hook."

"What if you have to use the bathroom in the field?"

"There's a removable crotch for adjusting my tail and using the bathroom."

"Noted."

"Why're you making a note of _that_? You thinking naughty thoughts?"

Panther grinned at her. "You're the telepath. You tell me."

"Because you like the idea of a strategically placed hole?"

With a grin, Panther opened the fabric liner of her armored suit, exposing the branding on her lower back. He guided it from her shoulders, down to her elbows, then rolled her over, onto her back once more.

Their eyes met.

Krystal offered him an alluring smile.

Panther pulled the fabric sleeves from her arms, then guided it down from her chest, exposing her bra. He eased his feet onto the floor, reached down, and pulled her flight suit from her legs and ankles, then he balled up the fabric and tossed it atop of his armored flight suit.

She looked up at him in silence, studying his eyes.

Panther raked his gaze over her lithe-yet-endowed figure.

She wore a _thong_.

He chortled softly. "So, we matched."

"If I have to pee, that's easy to push to the side."

Panther's grin broadened. "Is it, now…" He reached down with both paws, pretending he was going to rip the fabric the way she did to his undergarment, moments ago.

Krystal didn't flinch. She just stared at him with a wry grin.

Instead, Panther reached beneath her hips, undid the Velcro around the base of her tail, and then, with a smile of delight, he pulled her thong down her legs, carefully. He drew it over each of her ankles, then tossed them over his shoulder, so that they landed in her laundry pile in the far corner.

Krystal cut her gaze over to the pile, then lifted her eyes back to his. "Nice."

Panther looked over her body with a sparkle of mirth and delight. "Yes. _Very_ nice." He slid his paws up her sides, through her blue pelt, until his fingers slid beneath her bra, then he guided the cloth cups up and over her bust. He lifted the undergarment up over her arms and head, then tossed it over his shoulder, so that the bra landed atop of her thong.

"Much better," she replied.

"Yes, _much_ better." He placed his paws on the sheets adjacent to her elbows, then he leaned down until his lips slanted across her own.

Krystal reached her arms up, draping them over his back. She sifted her fingers through his head-fur, kissing him firmly. Her left paw went down his spine until she palmed his athletically toned rump. She squeezed firmly, pulling him close.

Panther ran his own paws up her sides, between them, and he firmly cupped her breast in a possessive manner, but not too hard. His other paw went to her throat, teasingly, then back down, over her taut tummy, where it became buried between her thighs.

She opened her legs a bit. She could feel probing fingers dance along the silken slit of her sex. A slight shiver of anticipation ran up her spine. She broke the kiss and, in a husky whisper, said, "I confess … I'm more turned on by this than I thought I'd be."

Panther trailed kisses down her jawline, over her neck, down her collarbone, and over her exposed breast, opposite of his paw.

She arched her back in response to the stimulus. "Just so we're clear, this is only going to be a one-off. That's it. And if you're on about it to your mates, it'll _definitely_ never happen again."

Panther's lips moved over her flat stomach, and down to meet his other paw. He grasped her hip firmly, covering her spiral branding, a marking that had lost all meaning since her arrival in Lylat.

She was no longer Krystal of the Cardinal Sun. She was simply Krystal of Cerinia, vixen with no home. "I mean it. This stays between us."

"I heard," Panther whispered against the slightly-thinning fur between her thighs, "…that your DNA was virtually a perfect mix of vulpine and feline."

"You heard right."

"So, you have some cat-like qualities?"

"Some," she whispered in a breathy tone.

"I've never been with a vixen before."

"I've never been with a feline before." She licked her lips.

He kept his paw on her hip; she was so small in his grasp.

The dainty vixen felt small under his large paws.

He tasted her with his tongue, and it was an experience. (A/N: _This is one of those abridged sections, heh_.)

It lasted for a time, not that she was paying attention to the time.

Before long, she panted softly, then she reached for his arms and tugged at him. "C'mere, you," she whispered.

Panther went with her guiding touch and moved over her body.

Krystal lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist, until her ankles crisscrossed at the small of his back. She pushed her right heel against the base of his tail, guiding him close.

Panther lowered himself, flush, against her body.

She clung to him with a need to belong … a need to feel loved … a need to _not feel alone_ anymore.

And just like that, they were enjoying one another.

It was something she swore would never take place, but, now, she was excited for it. Her body was humming with need, anticipation, hormones … it was an experience.

Panther was consumed with delight. It was actually happening. He was … enjoying … the woman he'd fantasized about for … well, since he met her.

She sensed it. She sensed his excitement. She sensed that he'd had a long-time crush on her. She sensed that he was thrilled and that this was more than just some … romp. She sensed the respect and reverence he felt for her body and for their actions.

But … she didn't want his _love_. At least … not right now. No, she wanted something different. Or, at the very least, she wanted something different than what she had with the man to whom she gave her virginity.

Panther was gentle and loving.

Krystal, however, wanted something different, so that she wasn't comparing her first lover to her second one.

Instead, she wanted this to be shallow and meaningless, like some of the one-night stand scenes she'd read about in her romance novellas. She lifted her nose and spoke against the side of his face in a coquettish voice. "Surely you can be more possessive than that."

"Hmm?"

She whispered something sultry into his ear.

Panther tensed up. The passion in her tone was a huge turn on. He reached his right paw down and grasped her thigh. He couldn't get over how petite and small she felt in his grasp.

His actions became possessive, aggressive, firm … exactly what she needed at the moment.

She recalled some of the pillow talk she'd read in her romance novels, and he responded in kind.

It was exotic, exciting, and very different than anything else she'd experienced before now. The pillow talk was delightful and devious.

But, then, he tried to allude to her ex. It started nice, but then, the so-called Casanova's wording became like nails on a chalkboard. "…I want to make it so you forget any other man to ever be in your bed. I want to be the only man you think about when you are in need."

"Shut up, Panther," she panted, adding, "there is nobody else … in my heart … anymore."

Crisis avoided.

The pillow talk resumed the way it was supposed to. The extracurricular activity also continued in proper fashion.

But the emotional aspect wasn't there. At least not yet. She hadn't built up some sort of romantic rapport with Panther. She hadn't spent years with him. She hadn't survived near death in the trenches of battle at his side. She didn't feel like a partner to him. At least not yet. Instead, she felt like his taboo lover.

She idly wondered if Panther could even give her a child. She remembered that a Cornerian geneticist explained the results of her genome, saying that she had vulpine and feline markers in her DNA.

What _if_ Panther could knock her up, though? She wanted her race to survive.

Her body needed this. Not the sex, necessarily … that was nice and all, but no … her body craved to fulfill her biological clock's demand of reproducing. Could Panther give her that? Was it even possible?

She wondered what it would be like to finally have the babies her body desired. She wanted to be pregnant. In this moment, in this instant, she wanted it more than _anything_. She yearned for it. No, she _craved it_.

Krystal felt intoxicated on her new addiction of wanting to be bred. She eased up on her elbows, just a few inches closer to Panther, and said all the right things to him. All the things that would entice his masculine ego.

_And then_? Finally. She got him 'there.' She telepathically focused on _his_ pleasure, so that she could emotionally get herself to the same place.

It wasn't earth-shattering, it wasn't magical or romantic, and it certainly wasn't mind-blowingly amazing.

It was just … good enough. It was what her body needed, but nothing that would make her instantly fall in love with Panther.

She tried to remind herself that it was a good thing. Deep down, some part of her had worried that Fox might've ruined her for other men, but, now those worries melted away for the moment.

The only thing that her romance novels had right, so far, was that being in love made the act, and, of course, its climatic moment, far more intense.

She idly wondered _if_ she _could_ ever fall in love with Panther, or if this was purely sex, and would it ever happen again? She didn't want to lower herself to that sort of relationship … or did she?

She couldn't decide right now. She enjoyed the monogamous romance she had in the past. She decided that if she was going to continue having a thing with Panther, she would have to make their dating status official.

Krystal dropped her arms to the bed, panting softly.

His lips met hers for a kiss.

She relented to the kiss, briefly, then broke it and panted softly. "Sorry, need to breathe. That was…" She tried to think of something nice to say. "…That was intense, big guy." She gave his hip a tender pat as if to accentuate her compliment.

"For me as well. I've never fallen in love after _making love_ … until now."

"All right, whoa, whoa, hit the retro-reverse rockets, Panther. Come off it, you."

"I am quite serious. Panther has never felt such a way for such a woman until today."

She frowned at the way he transitioned into the third person, followed by a sigh of frustration. "I'm not ready for that. I tried love before sex already, and it ended painfully. Let's just … enjoy this for what it is: having some fun, maybe just a one-off. If you don't make things weird, then cheers, we'll go from there. If things progress, it'll happen when the time is right. For now, this is just … you know."

Silence.

Krystal licked her lips. Did she just say that? She'd already decided that she was going to start dating him, but why did she say their relationship was purely physical and nothing else? Why?

Panther nodded firmly. "As you wish. It won't change how I feel about you, but I respect what we have so far."

And, with that, he'd just made things _really_ awkward. She couldn't even be sure why.

She sensed that he really was catching feelings for her, and, worse, she sensed that it took a lot for him to _admit it_.

She probed his feelings to see if there was any damage because of her lack of emotional reciprocation.

She sensed that he was, in fact, conflicted. The fact she didn't feel the same was extremely disappointing to him, but…

She tilted her head a bit, listening to his heart and mind.

Krystal had to admit, Panther hid his hurt well.

Furthermore, he was willing to give her the space and time she wanted. He was willing to wait for her to feel the same. He was willing to put time and effort into this … this … whatever it was they now shared.

Panther licked his lips, cleared his throat, and said, "Krystal? I'm sorry if I made things complicated."

"Things were _already_ complicated," she replied in a soft tone, while looking up at him in the dim recessed illumination of her little vessel's tiny makeshift bedroom.

"Yes, I suppose you're right."

"Don't get me wrong, I liked it. I'm impressed, Panther. You got me 'there' yet we didn't even have an emotional connection. And, uh … _you_ didn't make things complicated. This thing, whatever it is … it's mutual. We made it complicated together."

"Complicated is better than nothing. I'll take it. I'll appreciate it for what it is. If-and-when you're ready to uncomplicate things, simply say the word. Until then, this was wonderful, and I'll respect your boundaries." He leaned down to kiss her again, paused, then kissed her neck instead.

She sensed that he actually understood how personal kissing could be. She sensed that he chose to kiss her neck, instead, so to make things more about plain old sex and less about 'making love.'

She rested her chin upon the top of his head and smiled a bit. Her worries began to melt away. Maybe he wasn't going to be difficult after all. Maybe this … thing they now had … wouldn't be so bad.

Maybe, just maybe, he deserved a shot … a chance to prove himself. Who knew? Maybe they were even compatible. Time would tell. She just needed to feel things out with him and see where the cards landed, figuratively.

Panther continued to gently nibble on her neckline.

It felt nice. She looked up at the ceiling. "So, we … uh…" She cleared her throat and chuckled weakly. "I mean … that actually just happened." She licked her lips and stared up at the recessed light track in the grooves where the ceiling met the bulkhead. "Now what?"

"We don't _have_ to go to Sargasso right now. I can go there, myself, later."

"You have something in mind for right now?"

"A shower. Then we could grab a bite somewhere quiet … Fichina, Fortuna, Titania has a few small colonies … Katina, Papetoon … they're all within…"

"Not Papetoon," she said. "Fox was born there."

"Ah."

"Look, sorry." Krystal reached up and ran her fingers through the fur on her forehead. "I'm not trying to be controlling. You choose."

"Fortuna," Panther said, his tone slightly muffled against the fur of her neckline. "It doesn't have to be a wine-and-dine sort of place. Just somewhere that nobody knows us. Somewhere we can have a bite to eat and have some light chit-chat about whatever. Nothing complicated."

"Nothing that feels like dating," she said with a nod.

"We're not dating," he said. "Don't worry, I understand that."

She smiled again. "Just sex?"

"Just sex," he replied. "With a quick shower and a shared meal. Not a date. Nothing romantic. Just two friends hanging out."

"That actually sounds nice. I'd like that. A friendship with, uh, physical moments."

"On occasion, without expectation."

"Exactly," said Krystal. "And, uh … look, Panther, I don't mind sharing the shower. Let's just keep it between the two of us. Wolf and Leon would act like we're dating, and the more friends that know, the more it feels like a relationship. And I'm just not ready for one of those yet."

"I get it. Casual sex. I'm not going to introduce you to my folks, I'm not going to parade you around or tell anyone that you're mine. But, when we have a bit of time alone, I'll dim the lights and we can pretend you're mine for a few hours. Pillow talk only. No deep feelings, nothing complicated."

"You're making it sound even simpler than it should be."

"How would you like it to sound?"

Krystal shook her head. "No, no, I mean … you're saying all the right things. I was worried you would freak out and act possessive."

"Only in bed, and only in dirty talk. I promise I won't start believing it. Until you say otherwise. I'm okay with that."

"You're sure?"

"I will possess your imagination and your bedroom eyes. Later, if the wind blows the right way, I'll possess your heart and your body."

"I'm being serious for a moment. Are you _sure_ you're okay with this arrangement?"

Panther chortled again with a wry grin. He made eye contact with her and said, "I'm a big boy. I was a little disappointed, but I understand your side of things. You didn't hurt my feelings, Krystal. I can handle waiting. You're worth the wait. And if you _never_ catch feelings? Well, then I'm not _the one_ for you. And if that's the case? Well, I'll appreciate what we had together while it lasts. If we were not meant to be, in the end, then that means there is another out there for each of us. You will find him, and I will find her."

Krystal nodded. "That's actually … nice to hear. Very mature, I mean."

Panther nodded in return. "We're just two friends … who are adults, and who are mature enough to manage an occasional physical thing."

"Friends … with … um…"

"Benefits," said Panther.

"Yes, that's the term." She reached up and placed her palms on either side of his face. "One more thing."

"Yes?"

"If you decide to have other lovers, please talk to me first, okay?"

"There won't be other lovers. _That_ would be complicating things. I only need one lover in my life at a time. You're that lover."

"Just the same, promise me."

"I promise. And, for the sake of being responsible, please do me the respect of talking to me if you wish to have any other suiters."

She nodded. "Agreed."

"Agreed."

She feigned a smile. "You really won't take a second lover on the side?"

"As I said, _that_ would complicate things. I don't like complications. You understand, yes? Complications lead to drama."

"Music to my ears," she said with a genuine smile.

"Panther no longer produces dramas. Panther now focuses on action romances."

"Okay, too much. It's becoming a comedy musical."

"Then, let's agree what we now have should be a sci-fi adventure, with the rare-but-enjoyable 'secret office romance' that, somehow, doesn't affect our daily lives."

Krystal chuckled with a soft smile of amusement. Things were going easier than she'd hoped. At least so far. "So, what's for dinner?"

Panther eased himself from her body, slow and smooth. "Set a course for Fortuna. I know a few bars that are a little … _classier_ than the kind of establishments that my teammates would frequent."

"I thought _you_ only go to 'fancy' establishments?"

"The mood occasionally strikes me to have simple beer and steak. And, on occasion, I wish to partake with my team. There are venues for that. Just as there are venues for eating alone in quiet, and for eating with a friend who will not draw attention. On that note, I know just the place. I'll figure out the shower controls. Meet me there."

Krystal watched him walk into the bathroom and shut the door behind himself.

She rolled onto her side, eased off the bed, and stood up.

She picked up something made of cotton fabric from the laundry pile in the corner, cleaned herself up, and tossed the object back into the dark corner.

The deafening silence was far more awkward than the fact they'd just done something that could never be taken back.

"Thee, uh … towels are, uh…"

"Found them, already," came his muffled reply through the door.

"All right, good." She headed for the cockpit, peered up, through the archway, to make sure there was no one flying by the canopy at that moment.

Lylat was empty and peaceful in all directions. She relaxed her posture.

Krystal changed the autopilot destination coordinates, and had the computer calculate an arrival time…

Roughly one hour before reaching Fortuna's airspace.

She rubbed her face, took a deep breath, and exhaled sharply. "What the hell am I doing with my life? Panther Caroso? Seriously? I sure as hell can't take _that_ back … ever. God, this is going to wind up being the stupidest mistake of my life."

She looked back through the archway, into her bedroom. She heard the sound of water hiss.

She lifted the armrest on the side of her chair and dropped side-saddle into the pilot's seat.

She thought about the things he said after they had sex. She reflected on the fact that he was willing to put his emotions aside out of respect for her. And what strong emotions they were. But he did as he promised, and he put his feelings into a bottle with a tight lid for the time being.

She briefly chewed her bottom lip. "Maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe it won't be a mistake. Maybe the oracle was wrong about Fox. Or … maybe it just isn't the right time, yet."

The inky void of Lylat was silence and dark. Only the track lights beneath her instrument panels offered any light. Only her engines offered a hum of reply.

Krystal ran her fingers through her hair, tugging gently on the beads in her bangs. "Maybe Panther is a steppingstone in the direction of my ultimate fate. Maybe I just have a lot to learn about love. Maybe I'm talking to myself because I'm going _crazy_ without all the voices of my race constantly in my mind. Maybe I'm just acting out because I feel so damn alone."

Krystal glanced at the HUD instrument readouts around her cockpit canopy. She eased off the seat, squatting beside it.

She pulled a cleaning wipe from a dispenser mounted beneath her emergency pistol lockbox, beneath the instrument cluster to the left of the cockpit seat.

With a soft sigh, she wiped her chair, where she'd sat, and then she made her way into the hold. She deposited the floral-scented wet-wipe into a waste chute in the bulkhead, approached her bed, and stared at it.

The sheets were rumpled and held the shape of a body at the center.

She took a moment to pull them taut, tuck the excess material into the corners, and pull the blankets up. She fluffed the pillows and put them neatly at the top, then tucked the comforter at the sides, so that the bed was sharp and showed no signs of sullying the bedsheets.

She crossed the bedroom and stopped in front of the bathroom door. "Maybe … I just need to be more openminded to freewill and forget about 'fate' for a little while."

The bathroom door didn't reply.

"Maybe I need to stop talking to myself out loud as a way of coping with the lack of other telepathic voices in my mind."

She decided that having a steak and a beer at a small bar in the middle of nowhere actually sounded kind of fun. Different. Just … friends without expectations.

She reached for a small black square on the door, right where a knob would be on a normal door.

The gesture of turning a knob caused the bathroom door to slide open on its tracks.

She expected to see Panther posing with a rose in his teeth, even though she didn't sense that sort of behavior on the other side of the door.

Instead, he was already in the shower, minding his own business, while trying to keep a clear mind.

She stepped in, closed the door behind herself, to keep the humidity contained to the bathroom, and then she opened the shower's acrylic glass door. "Hey."

"Hey, back," he said with a casual tone. "Decided to use the clear bottle in the right corner instead of the pink bottle in the left corner. If I smell like a lady, the gang will start connecting dots."

She chuckled, imagining Panther smelling feminine. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea to use the unscented stuff. I kept that for missions where I wouldn't want to smell pretty."

"Smart. Can't give away your position that way."

"Exactly," she replied with a light chuckle. "You know, I half-expected you to be posing in here with a rose in your teeth or something."

"That'd be a neat trick, considering I didn't bring any aboard your ship."

She chuckled again. "Yeah, I guess so. I just meant that I wouldn't put it past you."

"I wouldn't do that anyhow."

"No?" She finally stepped into the shower and pulled the plastic-glass door shut. "I thought that was your thing…?"

"Initially, roses were meant for targets I am paid to kill. It's my calling card, but any lawyer could prove that it doesn't necessarily tie a kill to _me_. I'm not sure if I'm going to take those kinds of jobs anymore. Something changed after the Aparoids assaulted Lylat. I feel like I have a clearer picture of my life, now."

"How so?"

"For a brief moment, I had clarity and meaning in my life. That sounds better than aimlessly taking assassination jobs. I was killing without any sort of meaning. Not to sound _too deep_, but the meaninglessness was turning to mediocrity. I want more than that out of life."

"You want to do something with your life that you can be proud of?"

He turned away from the water and smiled brightly. "Yes. Exactly that."

"And you think you'll find that with Star Wolf?"

"I think … it is possible. I'm working with two other men that experienced the same thing. They're not going to be goodie-two-shoes about it, but they both want something more than what they had during the Lylat Wars. Wolf is slowly evolving his business model, and Leon has already killed everyone he could without finding anything meaningful in it. So, even he wants to try something else."

"So, you boys feel empty about the pirating?"

"If we did, we didn't notice. No, it's the other way around, actually. We all felt … well, pretty _good_ about what we did during the Aparoid assault on Lylat. When the next threat comes, we want to play a different role than we did in the old days."

"That's … not a bad thing."

"No, not at all." He put his paws on her hips. "What is _your_ ultimate goal in life?"

She shrugged. Her eyes dropped to the black-furred paws on her hips. "Try _not_ to become extinct."

"You know, genetic engineering is making leaps and bounds, Krystal. Even if I'm not compatible with you, a few changes in your genome, or in the genome of a sperm sample … could lead to more Cerinians. I am not trying to suggest anything inappropriate – just that your race does not have to bed. You could be the mother of one, the mother of a litter, or the mother of new Cerinia. Your fate is your own. It's even possible that some have survived."

She smiled a bit. "You think?"

"Krystal, your race was space-faring. I highly doubt you were the only one to escape your system alive. If the others of your race are as resilient and motivated as yourself, then I would bet all the roses in Lylat that there are other Cerinians out there."

Krystal glanced at the temperature control panel mounted into the bulkhead. "What if all the survivors are women? What if the only Cerinian males are the alpha-douche-bag kind? Or the only survivors are a handful of gay and lesbian people? Breeding would be out of the question. What if the survivors were tracked down and hunted by the Kew?"

Panther frowned.

She grimaced, feeling stupid and childish. "I know, I'm being ridiculous but … when I left my star system, I sent out a distress message on repeat for three days. Then, I set a course for the system from where Dr. Andross originated, because I wanted answers. I was going to track him home, approach him face-to-face, and _demand_ answers."

Panther touched beneath her chin and guided her muzzle until they were facing one another. "And if he'd killed you?"

Her eyes remained off to the side, staring at the wall. "I'd have joined my people."

Panther moved around her in the shower, until he was standing in front of her eyes. He bent at the waist a little and met her gaze. He exhaled slowly through his nose, impressed by the passion in her tone. "Let's take it one day at a time. If we find someone from your race, we'll go from there."

"You must think I'm neurotic."

Panther shook his head. "You're the telepath. Do I think that?"

A pause, then Krystal shook her head. "No, you don't." She offered a smile. "You … actually think highly of me. I was worried you'd think I was an easy tramp. Some little totty for you to pump for fifteen minutes or so."

"Anything but that. I think you're an attractive woman…"

"Yeah, I uh … I sense you like what you see. Big surprise there."

"I also think you have a large heart and a will that can move metaphorical mountains. Again, you'll know I am not lying when I say these things."

"Yes, you're being honest, but you also think I have '_a really great bust for a woman who is so athletically tone, otherwise_.'"

Panther chuckled. "Guilty as charged. I do think that. Most women with your frame are B-cup or smaller. You're … what? Upper-C-cup? Lower D cup?"

Krystal rolled her eyes. "Guilty as charged," she repeated. "I wear a sports bra in the field. Can't seem to get rid of them. Glad they amuse you."

He gave her hip a gentle pat. "Krystal, I've never been the sort of man to hide my feelings. That's why I told you how I felt when I first saw you."

Krystal chuckled inwardly. "Yeah, but it was an awkward way to go about it, though."

"I didn't know you were a telepath. Not until later during the Aparoid mission. But, did I ever once deceive you?"

"No."

"Exactly. Beautiful _and_ a courageous heart. I have never met a woman like you."

"I don't see myself as courageous. A little foolish, sure. Emotional, yup. Thick-headed? Yes, that is definitely me, mate."

"Emotional? You really see yourself as emotional?"

"Like I said, earlier, I was ready to die with my people because I felt lonely. How trite. There are millions of lonely people in this galaxy, but they don't resort to running head-long into battle with no hope of winning. Not like I did when face-to-face with Andross at the palace. That was _foolish_."

"Would you _really_ have preferred to die with your people? I'm sorry if it's a personal question, but I'm curious – would you really have preferred to die and join your people in the afterlife?"

"You mean … as opposed to living alone in Lylat, heartbroken and angry?" Krystal scoffed. "At the time, it was an easy choice, Panther."

"Since making Lylat your new home, have you ever … considered joining them? I'm not condoning the idea of suicide, Krystal, but…"

"No, not since making Lylat my new home. My survivor's guilt is something I've handled because I put so much stock in the Oracle's prophecy. I thought it was all part of my fate. Furthermore, I do not believe in suicide…"

"Could have fooled me, going up against an ape with no weapons and no armor."

"Yes, he … was quite a large man. I couldn't help but wonder how he ever expected a relationship to be possible with Fox's mother."

Panther replied with a sour expression. "Andross was in love with Fox's mother?"

"To the point that he made an attempt on James, but then he killed her by accident."

"Dios mio."

"Wait, that's not the language you spoke earlier."

"It is one of the Romantic languages of old Fichina."

"Romantic, huh?" Krystal rolled her eyes.

"Named for the ancient city from which all the ancient Fichina languages derived."

"Oh."

"Part of my family is from Nice, as I mentioned earlier. The rest came from another city, with a slightly different variant of the Romantic language." Without any sort of natural segue, Panther reverted to the previous topic. "So, the rumors are true – Andross was a Cornerian scientist who butted heads with John Pepper?"

Krystal nodded.

Panther frowned. "Killing the love of his life must have been … difficult."

Krystal nodded yet again. She lowered her gaze to the floor, staring at how close their feet were together. "'_Difficult_' is an understatement, Panther. It drove him insane. It made him the man he was."

"A fascist dictator?"

"Eventually, yes. Andross wanted Corneria to pay for his research so he could bring Vixy McCloud back to life in some manner. When his research into genetics was rejected, he threw himself into making weapons for Corneria's research and development team. He continued to learn how to build effective weapons of war, with the intent of preparing to take Corneria for himself. He wanted to rule Corneria so that he could use the GPD to fund his genetics research. Ultimately, General Pepper banished Andross to Venom."

"I am told he was a very … intense man."

Again, Krystal nodded. "He was."

"Yet you approached him on Sauria, without weapons or armor, and you _demanded_ answers on the fate of Cerinia?"

Krystal chuckled. "I tried. I didn't get very far."

"How so?"

With a shrug, she said, "I think I shouted, '_You…!_' and that was all I could manage."

"What happened next?"

Krystal rubbed her face, wetting the fur of her face. "I'm embarrassed."

"I won't judge you, little Space Flower."

"Well, uh, Andross picked me up with one hand and threw me into a reverse-polarity tractor beam trap. I was drawn into a crystalline prison."

Panther shook his head with a soft chuckle. "Even in his advanced age, and I in my prime, I would never have been able to defeat Andross face-to-face. Your courage is beyond compare."

Krystal shrugged her shoulders. "Courage, huh?" She scoffed, shook her head, and said, "I was pretty hot-headed after the death of Cerinia. I wouldn't call it courage. I would call it stupidity."

"So, is it true that the contraption was designed to drain the life force of one being in order to restore his health?"

"Yes."

"Were you afraid?"

"It was difficult to stay awake in that chamber." She shrugged again, looking past Panther to the shower head that was hissing water. She turned to the control panel and activated a second shower head at the opposite side of the shower stall. Hot water gushed from behind her, which helped her to relax.

"But were you afraid of dying in that chamber?"

"No, Panther. I really wasn't." Krystal shook her head and stepped back, submerging herself fully under the hot water.

Panther's paw fell away from her hip.

"I didn't think I was going to die. I believed I had a fate lying ahead of me, laid out by an oracle that had predicted my future. But that doesn't excuse my behavior."

"How do you mean?" he asked in a reverent tone.

She rolled her eyes as if annoyed with herself. "I had no business going toe-to-toe with that man when he was dying. It was foolish. But was I afraid? No."

"You are a brave woman, Krystal."

She shrugged. "Or hot-headed to the point of idiocy. Not sure which. Look, if Andross' plan to drain my life had somehow succeeded in healing him…? Well, I had no regrets at the time."

"Why the direct approach, though?"

Krystal shrugged. She reached up and worked the beads from her bangs. She set them in a little empty basket intended for soap. "I was in a different mindset at the time. I _had to_ try cornering him. I was obsessed with getting answers at the time. I was young and foolish."

"Perhaps you didn't expect a dying man to still have so much strength?"

Krystal finished taking the last of her hair beads from her braids. She set them in the empty soap tray. "Maybe I would have stood a chance had I not dropped my staff in the storm over Thorntail Hollow, while flying on the back of Kite. But … when I came toe-to-toe with that man, I wasn't armed, I wasn't prepared, and I wasn't afraid. In fact, I was _angry_. I lost all reason."

"Ah. You charged into battle."

"I did."

"See? Brave."

"Stupid," she corrected him. "I should've done a bit of recce," she said, pronouncing the word 'recky,' "but I didn't. I threw myself at him, armed with two tiny blue fists, like a prat."

"The man wronged you in ways no Lylatian will ever understand. But you've learned since then, right? You know to prepare, and how to fight, am I right?"

"Yes. I knew better, but I just witnessed the end of my entire race, so … I was being emotional. I've since learned how to manage my emotions. Rather, if I'm being truly honest with myself, I … suppose I've _grown up_ a great deal over the last few years."

"I bet you would have beaten him on your own if he'd faced the woman standing before me today."

She thought back to her recent experience where she lost time at the Krazoa Palace on Sauria. She cupped water in her palms and rubbed her face. "Who knows."

"I believe in you. You're quite the capable woman."

"I … I've learned a lot about survival and war since arriving in Lylat. I would have been more prepared to beat him at what he knows. Maybe I'll have a chance to fight him one day."

Panther furrowed his brows. His ears laid back atop of his head. "You think Andross is still alive?"

She thought about the awkward experience on Krazoa Palace the day after she and Fox broke up. She remembered what felt like a fever-dream. In the end, she couldn't remember much, but she _did_ remember going to Sauria and hallucinating about Andross.

The more she thought about it, the more she recalled a few vague details. Something about … working on a way to fix Venom's acidic waters.

Was it all a dream? Was she remembering something from … maybe … a Krazoa spirit that possessed her briefly when she arrived on Sauria after her breakup with Fox?

Panther cleared his throat. "Krystal?"

She frowned. "Sorry, uh … I was just thinking back to a field lab I found at the Krazoa Palace after Fox and I broke up."

"You think it belonged to Andross? You really think he's still alive?"

"I think, if he's as smart as everyone claims he was, let alone half as smart as he thinks he is, then … it's at least _possible_ he's still alive. And, if he is, he will also be smart enough to _not_ engage me face-to-face a second time … again, _if_ he's still alive."

"All right, so what makes you think he's alive?"

She couldn't be sure the loss of time and strange hallucinations was or was not just a fever dream. She couldn't be sure she was remembering correctly, because she was pretty sure she was drugged after the encounter, making everything blurry at best. Or, maybe it _was_ the Krazoa spirit she consulted with after landing on Sauria.

Did the Krazoa spirit possess Andross at one point, and thus give her memories of Andross? She was pretty sure Krazoa spirits only possessed pure-hearted people.

So, that left one possibility: did she _actually_ help Andross to create the cure for Venom's acidic seas? Was the cure even real?

If she did meet Andross, then did she get the answers about Cerinia's fate? Did she strike him down, but let him escape? There was no body, there was no blood, and she woke up drugged but unharmed.

She couldn't remember anything clearly. It was something she'd have to meditate on, later.

"Krystal?"

"Andross was motivated by _hatred_ when I came face-to-face with him that first time, on Sauria."

"Hatred doesn't necessary make someone a worthy opponent."

"No, but he found a great depth of motivation in his hatred. It is what motivated him to live through everything else he'd survived in the past."

"Hatred, hmm?"

"Yes. That's what I remember most about him the first time I came face-to-face with him, since arriving in Lylat. Hatred."

"Enough hatred to mutate his body? That's what the rumors suggest, at least. Wolf said his hatred of Corneria and General Pepper led to the man performing experience on his own body."

"Yes, definitely. He was motivated by hate I'd never experienced before meeting him. He was consumed. Let's just say that … if … if I felt the same way, only the gods and goddesses know what I'd be capable of."

Silence.

Krystal sighed softly. "Andross' hatred kept him alive, but he wasn't living. I mean … not really. It's a lonely existence to be fueled by such hatred. That's not living."

"Very true." Panther nodded in agreement.

"But it's been years since then. He's been humiliated and humbled so many times in his life. So, think of it this way … he's a scientist, right?"

"Yes, so I've heard."

"Scientists always revert to their quest for facts … answers. _If_ he's still alive, the only thing left of him is his desire to cement his legacy."

"His … legacy?"

"His desire to leave his mark in the universe. He's the kind of man that wanted to be respected for his science. Like a songwriter wanting to be respected for his songs. The desire to fix the universe and earn admiration and respect is also a strong motivator. Also, he has children and grandchildren. He also might want to leave Venom a better place for his descendants."

"Krystal, with all due respect, _how_ did he beat you? You're a telepath."

Krystal nodded. "Yes, that's true. But he knows how to block my ability. I couldn't sense his actions."

"So, that also means you couldn't sense his motivations."

"True."

Panther tilted his head a bit. "If you didn't sense his hatred, how did you know it's what motivated him?"

"Because, Panther, I'm not a bloody plebeian. I didn't need a sixth sense to plainly _see_ the fire in his eyes. When we came face-to-face on Sauria, in the Krazoa Temple, I was literally taken aback by the intensity I saw in his gaze. I shouted, '_You…!_' and then I saw his eyes and I paused. It likely gave Andross the critical seconds he needed to make a decision on whether or not to throw me into the crystal chamber he'd designed to kill Fox McCloud."

"So … _that_ was Andross' actual plan? To kill Fox, not you?"

"He didn't know me; he barely knew _about_ me from Scales, and Scales didn't know I was from Cerinia … just that I was a pernickety woman who was creating problems for their plans."

"A fastidious female who…"

Krystal interrupted Panther. "In the end, I wasn't part of the equation. Andross fractured the planet knowing that Corneria would send Fox. Andross' original plan was to trap Fox and steal Fox's life force."

"Restoration from the death of his enemy. Poetic in a way."

"I guess," she said with a soft sigh. "But … I showed up first, so Andross decided to change his plan at the last minute. It led to his death, because Fox showed up fashionably late, and there was no trap waiting for him."

Panther studied her face for a moment.

"What? You're being difficult to read right now."

He took a step closer to her, closing the gap between their bodies in the shower. "Just think, Krystal, if you didn't come to Lylat, Andross would have succeeded in restoring himself, leading to the death of McCloud. Then? Andross would have conquered everyone in this system. He would have likely subjugated the populations, brought dominance and dominion of the reptiles over the mammals…"

She fidgeted.

Panther added, "Think about it. _You_ saved Lylat."

She smirked. "Oh, did I now…"

Panther nodded firmly. "Yes, Krystal. You saved Lylat simply by coming here."

Her voice lowered. "I'd … not thought of it that way." She fidgeted in the hot water pelting her pelt from behind.

"You should start," said Panther.

"I thought I'd ruined things; that they'd gone all to pot."

"Not sure what that last bit means, but … why would you think you ruined anything?"

Krystal shrugged and bit her lower lip. "Because, well, ever since arriving in Lylat, I've struggled with my loneliness and I … still don't know if I'm happy with the answers I thought I wanted from Andross. I mean, you know, provided I'm not as mad as a hatter, hallucinating about confronting the man I followed across the galaxy. And then … now what? I'm here, and I'm alone again, and I don't know what to do with my life, but to tarry about in Lylat doing bugger-all."

"You finally have a moment to grieve for home – is that it?"

Krystal nodded. "Yes, I think you might be on to something, there. I miss home, now more than ever. I thought I was finally ready to truly move on, and then the plan I had for my life changed. And, I mean, I have seen so much since arriving in Lylat. I'm still trying to process it all…"

Panther remained quiet, listening to her speak. He remained still under the shower head, focusing completely on her reply.

"…And everything I thought I knew is potentially wrong. Not just the prophecies, but … _everything_."

"Like what? You can tell me. I won't judge you, Krystal."

She ran her paws back through her hair to make sure she got all the beads out. "Maybe Andross was evil, maybe he was just angry and misunderstood. Maybe he's alive, or maybe I'm wrong about seeing him. Maybe he had something to do with Titania suddenly healing itself back around the time Fox and I broke up. Speaking of Fox, maybe he was right – I should just sit on Corneria, be a good girl, and stop trying to fight for things in Lylat. It's just … I _want to_, because I tell myself I'm hard; I tell myself that Lylat is where I am currently hanging my hat, so to speak. But I'm starting to think Fox might've been right … it's not my home, and fighting for it is his job, not mine."

"You don't really believe that."

Krystal scoffed at him. "How do _you_ know what I really believe?"

"Because you've fought tooth and nail to save Lylat from Sauria exploding, to save Lylat from the Aparoids, and I'm sure you'd fight to save Lylat from whatever else happens in the future."

"You think Lylat will be attacked again?"

Panther shrugged. "It's a populated system full of resources … it's only a matter of time before it needs saving again. Now that we know there is sentient life in other galaxies, it's only a matter of time before our doorstep is darkened, once again, by someone or something that desires our resources. And, Krystal, it seems to me that you believe in fighting the good fight, no matter where you find battle."

"Fine. Maybe I … maybe I _do_ believe in doing what feels right. But that doesn't mean _I'm_ always right. I broke up with Fox because I thought he was wrong. But I might have been the one who was wrong."

Panther shook his head with a roll of his eyes. "McCloud was _not_ right to demand you sit on the sidelines of life."

"How do you figure, Panther?"

"Because, Krystal, you are a woman who fights for what you believe in, no matter the cost. It is one of your defining traits. Fox is blind not to see it. Fox has no right to ask you to sit idly by and watch him fight a battle without you."

"But Lylat isn't my home. I already lost Cerinia."

"That was not your fault," Panther replied with an adamant tone. "You have every right to fight for your new home, if you wish to do so. You cannot change who you are to placate another person. That is tantamount to slavery."

She scoffed. "Hardly."

Panther placed a paw on her forearm, just beneath the elbow. "It is. It may not have physical chains involved, but just as I cannot be a slave to the institution of government, you cannot be a slave to Fox's whims. That is a soul-sucking existence, and I would not wish it on anyone, not the pilots of Star Fox, not my family that disowned me … no one deserves to experience repression of the heart and soul, unless they are paying penance that is deserved."

She took a deep breath, followed by a ragged sigh through semi-clenched teeth. "I just … I miss home. I miss it _so much_. And my family. I put so much stock into the oracle's prophecy that I hyper focused on my relationship with Fox. I was a fool. I pushed him away, thinking he would man up and try to appease me, but the bloody gormless nitwit has gone and left me gutted. It's sod's law, really. And now I'm bloody starkers with this smarmy ponce, y'see, who saunters about with flowers in his teeth. Oi, look at me! Former royalty! The daughter of two senators, trying to crack on to Panther-bloody-Caroso; just some totty little jezebel, split apart out of boredom, not even for a bit of dosh." She sighed through clenched teeth. "Bollocks."

Panther frowned thoughtfully.

She lifted a paw abruptly and shook her head. "I'm … I am _so_ sorry, Panther."

"For what?"

"I'm being a disrespectful child. You didn't deserve a word of that."

A slight smile tugged at the corners of his muzzle. "No worries, Krystal. I barely understood a word of it. Something about why you wear that tierra, and how I have flowers in my teeth."

"Fox used to joke that you look like a pansy wearing a pansy. Y'know, your obsession with flowers. He was just being mean. And … I'm still deprograming myself from thinking that way. I'm just frustrated, and I shouldn't be taking it out on you."

"You're forgiven."

"Ta, but then I'm punishing you by waffling on like an emotional child."

"You're processing everything. Krystal, I'm honored that you've chosen my shoulder to vent."

"You … are?"

"Yes, absolutely. And you're wrong – you had to explore all of your possibilities. So, you tried to have a romance with Fox. Now, that avenue is closed, and you can move forward."

She shook her head sharply. "No, I was being a selfish bloody bint. Here I am, bodging up this life I've made for myself in Lylat, and living in a car park, out of my bloody ship, like a … a slob. And not even a proper caravan park, either. I'm literally living out of the employee lot at work."

"Fine, Krystal, then what would you have done differently?"

"I should have searched for survivors. What if there were people that survived Cerinia's demise, but had no way to reply to my hails? They would have headed to Kew. I knew that much, but I didn't go there. I chased Andross, instead."

"And, by doing so, you've saved an entire star-system _full of populated planets_. Your people may still be waiting on Kew, or have wound up somewhere around the galaxy, but Lylat needed you. Fox needed you. _I_ needed you. You deserve a statue, fifty stories tall, at the heart of Corneria's Capital City. Will it happen? _No_. But you have _my_ respect and _my_ gratitude. You have _my_ appreciation for the sacrifices you've made. So … let me be the first to _thank you_, Krystal."

She didn't know how to respond to his flattery. She cleared her throat and decided to change the subject to something … easier to handle right now. "Oh, sod it all. You think you could manage to go again?"

A sly smile spread across Panther's muzzle. "I do."

She feigned a wicked little smile. He wasn't all over her because of some strange alien pheromones, like on Miracle … he was just … genuinely attracted to her. She glanced at a clock on the wall panel for the shower controls. "We have a bit of time."

"Perfect," he replied with a purr and pulled her close. "Now I can give my hero a _proper_ 'thank you.'"

"No, love, I changed the subject on purpose. I can't think about all of that right now. I just want to think about something … simpler."

"I understand." He pulled her close, under the dual water streams. He didn't kiss her – instead, he began nibbling along her neck.

That's what she needed right now. Not to be adored or put on a pedestal. Just … to be touched. To have another release, to reset her hormones and weird mood. She needed something that felt good. She wanted to feel grounded.

His masculine touch was firm and commanding.

She reached around his body and grasped his athletic rump, then pulled him toward her. She backed up until her shoulders and rump met the wall.

Panther lifted her up, pinning her to the shower tiles.

Krystal wrapped her legs around his waist and draped her arms around his neck. "Much better," she murmured into his ear.

"Agreed," he replied in a muffled tone against her neck.

"Maybe you were right…"

"About?"

"Maybe I'm a chancer of sorts. Maybe a life with you is another opportunity to make something of my life." She cupped either side of his face firmly in her palms.

"I'm here when you're ready to make the most of it, Krystal."

She nodded and then she rested her head back against the wall. "One day soon, I want to be pregnant. I want to look like I swallowed Meredith." She leaned a little closer and added, "That was the moon over Cerinia. It's an expression … it means I want to be full of kits. But, for right now, I want to live. I want to enjoy life, explore all the wonders it has to offer, and appreciate the finer details of my adult life. I want to leave the counterpane a mess on the bed, but not because I slept in on a Saturday. I want to live life to its fullest."

"These are the things I love about you, Krystal." His lips moved to her collarbone, along her shoulder, and then back to her throat, once more.

"Hey … Panther?"

"Mm?" His reply, buried into her lower neckline, was barely audible over the water.

"Thanks … for being here with me." She rested her chin upon his head, between his ears. She heard him reply, but it didn't matter what he said – she just didn't want to be alone right now. It was nice to have someone around.


	19. Epilogue

Epilogue  
_Rise of the Anglar Empire_

_Sargasso,  
Bolse Defense Sector,  
One Month Later_…

**Krystal stepped off of her Cloudrunner**, leaving it parked at the furthest corner of the Sargasso flight hanger. She passed the Wolfen Mark3 she'd been using when flying with Wolf O'Donnell's group.

She walked by two reptiles, ex-imperial pilots for 'Emperor' Andross, now working as mercenary muscle, and pirating for Star Wolf.

They immediately recognized Krystal but kept their eyes forward. One of them saidto the other, "I can't get this stupid Cornerian holiday song out of my head."

The other replied, "Which one? There are many. They are obsessed with this time of year, and they have too many songs about it."

The first said, "I think it was called Frosty? Something like that." He snuck a look at Krystal in passing, and said, "Actually, I _think_ the words went, '_Star Fox, they blow, man_!' Heh."

The second lizard laughed and replied,"Ah, yes, that song! My favorite line was, '…_The Venom children laugh and play, then they tell Bill Grey … that Husky and Bulldog DROOL_,'" he sang, mentioning Krystal's CAG's old squadrons, based out of Katina.

Krystal smirked. She stopped and turned to the two reptiles. "Ah! I know that song, also!"

"Oh, _do_ you?" asked the second lizard.

Krystal cut her gaze between the two. "Yes, I've heard it. I think the next verse goes, '_There must have been some magic in that old Arwing they flew around, for when they pressed the Z-and-R, it began to spin around! Oh, Star Fox, they're old, man, yet they could kill you _fast_. But they're not as good without their _vix_, and their team-lead is an _ass!' …Something like that, right?" She continued to walk, passing the lizards who didn't know what to say.

Krystal cut her gaze up, spotting Wolf on the catwalk above the hanger.

The lupine chortled to himself, shook his head, and walked away, humming the tune to '_Frosty the Snowman_' to himself.

She sensed him reciting her version of the lyrics, so as to memorize them.

She made her way to an elevator labeled '_control center – auth. personnel only_.'

The elevator stopped on level three, and Wolf boarded the lift.

They smirked at one another.

"You liked that, huh?"

Wolf nodded. "Better than your cooking." The elevator began to rise above Sargasso's heart.

Krystal scoffed. "I'm a mercenary and a military officer, not a chef."

"Women belong in the kitchen," Wolf retorted, just to see how she'd respond.

"The only men that believe a woman's place is in the kitchen is the kind of man that doesn't know what to do with a woman in the bedroom." She paused for effect, then added, "What kind of man are you, Wolf?"

He snickered to himself. "You're not bad, kid. Not bad at all."

"And you're smarter than you let on," Krystal replied. She folded her paws behind her back.

He scoffed with a grunt. "You calling me a _nerd_, kid?"

"Yes, actually." A smile tugged at the corner of her muzzle.

"How you figure that?"

"Because you've hired a telepath." She reached forward and brushed his gear vest open, then she touched a fingertip to a book hidden inside. "You were just reading a book about the mathematical calculations of flight … or some such."

"Yeah, whatever." He brushed her paw away. "Knowing this crap helps me design better ships," Wolf replied. "I don't have the Doc around anymore, so if I want to upgrade the Wolfen, I've got to do it myself."

"Slippy Toad once told me that Lylat has been flying for over two centuries, but only _just_ began to truly understand the principals of lift."

Wolf shrugged. He gazed off the side of the platform, watching the people on the hanger deck, far below. "Kid, Lylat didn't really understand how lift works until scientists understood the goddamn bumble bee."

Krystal tilted her head. "The insects that make honey?"

"Yup. Those freaky little things shouldn't be able to fly, but they do."

"So, but studying the honeybee, Lylat came to understand atmospheric flight principals?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, shit, once scientists sat down and studied all the aspects, they figured out how to make a wingless ship, like your Cloudrunner, McCloud's Arwing, and my Wolfen, stay aloft in atmospheric conditions. Can't dogfight without lift. Better ships mean better dogfights. Knowing how the shit works means building the best damn ships."

"So, all it took was a group of 'nerds' who were obsessed with insects, aviation, _and_ math, hmm?"

Wolf nodded. "Yup."

"I'm surprised to learn that you have a respect for knowledge, Wolf. You initially seemed the jock-type to me."

"Andross was a huge goddamn nerd, and he could've manhandled me with one goddamn hand."

"Well, yes, he's an ape. I've been picked up and tossed by him, once. It wasn't pleasant. Certainly, it the _quickest_ way to travel clear across the Krazoa Palace. Still, I confess, I'm surprised to find out that you hold such respect for wisdom."

Wolf reached up and adjusted the silver metallic strap, which held his high-tech eyepatch in place. "You religious, kid?"

"I…"

"It's a simple question. Yes or no?"

"I used to be. I believed in the gods and goddesses. But they abandoned Cerinia in its final hour. Now? I don't like to talk about my pantheon."

Wolf reached up and stroked at some growing chin fluff beneath his muzzle. "You know, one of the old Lylat gods ripped his own goddamn eyeball out."

"On purpose?"

"Yeah, kid. On purpose."

"Why would anyone voluntarily do that?"

Wolf shook his head with a shrug. "Depends which theologist you ask. But most agree that he did it because he offered the eye in trade for knowledge of all things. He traded the eye for the right to drink from a well or knowledge. I'm sure it was a metaphor or some shit, but I've always found the concept badass."

"What kept the average person from drinking from the well? And to whom did he trade his eye?"

"There was a guardian that protected the well and drank from it every day. But the guardian didn't have the motivation to do very much with all that knowledge … except to use it to protect the well. This guardian even knew how to survive death itself. After being beheaded, the guardian lived on, without a body, able to advise those he deemed worthy on issues of state, war, and all that shit."

"Bloody hell," she muttered under her breath.

"Yeah, I know, kid. Freaky, sure, but here I am. I have one eye, I'm out here in the ass-end of space, protecting a wormhole that leads fuck-knows-where, because Lylat might not be ready to handle the knowledge of whatever's on the other end. And, hey, let's face it … I'm pretty goddamn smart at times. Not smart enough to back the wrong dictator, though."

"The _wrong_ dictator?"

Wolf watched as the platform passed above the highest public-accessible deck. "Yeah, kid. The Lylat Wars … or as I call it, the tale of two dictators."

"Oh, so Pepper was a dictator?"

"In his own way," said Wolf. "Corneria pretends to be a utopia, but they won't even allow people to be hyper-successful capitalists. They also prohibit rowdy types and ban us from their entire goddamn planet. They imprison some criminals and banish the rest."

"Corneria banishes people for being too successful or too rowdy? What of Grippy Toad and Zerda Phoenix?"

Wolf scoffed. "They dump their money back into the bullshit-tocracy. They can stay. Meanwhile, you remember your ex? Yeah, he got deported from Corneria, once. Before saving it the first time."

Krystal folded her arms across her chest, just beneath the swell of her bust. "Go on."

"See, Vixy McCloud gave birth to Fox on Papetoon during a goddamn vacation. Because Fox wasn't born in an embassy, Pepper was able to deport him from Corneria when the war against Andross was starting to heat up. Why? Because Fox wanted to protest how things were being handled. That's it. Nothing more. He opened his big yap. That's it."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously," Wolf replied with a firm nod. "But _I_ was _born_ on Corneria. So was Andross. Both of us had our civil rights violated with Pepper's bullshit ex-patria law, which was his brainchild. The planet's prime minister simply went along with it."

"So, what was Andross like as the leader of Venom?"

"The lizards loved him. The simians loved him. They thought Andross was benevolent, kind, and all that crap. He was the 'General Pepper' of Venom."

"Oh." Krystal frowned. "I thought Andross brainwashed the lizards to fight for him?"

Wolf laughed and shook his head. "That's just Cornerian propaganda, kid. That crap was never proven, but Corneria swore by it anyhow. I sure-as-shit never saw any evidence to anyone being brainwashed."

Krystal rubbed her chin in thought. "Wow. That really paints a different picture of Corneria than I'm used to hearing."

Wolf snorted in amusement. "Socialism looks great on paper until the goddamn tanks roll out, then it becomes something called communism."

"But Andross was a fascist."

Wolf shrugged, staring down at the heart of his space station, far, far below. "Yeah, I know Andross was a fascist. Pepper was the socialist, ya goof."

"And you're saying that as different as the two men were, they were both the same in many ways?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," said Wolf with a firm nod. "The thing I liked about Andross was that he let things slide, y'know, if it didn't hurt anyone else. He granted more personal freedoms than Pepper did. Not quite Libertarian, but he didn't illegalize smoking like Pepper did. Andross didn't 'eminent domain' anyone's land in the name of protecting Corneria. Andross, on the other hand, didn't give a shit if I carried a concealed weapon around the planet, just so long as I didn't shoot any citizens. Get it, now?"

"Oh." Krystal frowned. "How did Pepper and Andross rule their roost, so to speak? What made them different, politically speaking?"

Wolf shrugged his shoulders, causing his shoulder pads to shift. "The lizards happily gave what they could to fund Andross. Meanwhile, Pepper and his PM, that dumbass lion – I forget his name – they taxed Corneria to death to fund a war nobody wanted. Andross came to liberate Corneria and exact revenge on Pepper, but he failed."

"I thought Andross was brilliant."

Wolf snorted in amusement. "Well, yeah, no shit. But he was a goddamn scientist, not a war tactician. Ah, whatever. That shit doesn't matter, now. It's in the past."

"Wolf, are you seriously defending Andross' attack on all the planets of Lylat that stood between Venom and Corneria?"

Wolf chuckled in a snide sort of way. "Okay, yeah, sure, the power was going to Andross' head. It was changing him. Making him a complete asshole. If he'd won, he'd have been an asshole dictator for the first year or two, but then he would have chilled out. Trust me. I knew the guy pretty well. He would have chilled out, eventually. But when it came to General Pepper? That guy was _already_ swollen in the skull from power. He didn't do a very good protecting Corneria from threats, though. Pepper just wanted to be adored. God knows what'll happen when he takes office next month. Hopefully nothing. We'll see. As it stands, Pepper already declared open season on piracy throughout Lylat in open-space areas, unowned by other planets."

"I've never sensed any grim intentions from General Pepper before."

"That's because he really thinks he's trying to do the right thing. But he's going about it the wrong way, just like Andross did. One is far left with control issues, the other was far right with control issues. Both are wrong. But, hey, whatever. Pepper's gonna have even _more_ control now that he's just been elected the new Prime Minister, with Peppy Hare as his new General."

"I've enjoyed a good working relationship on Corneria thusfar."

Wolf shrugged with a scoff. "That's changing, soon, too. My info guy says Bill Gray is being tapped to start carrying the WMD football for the administration starting in four months. But, someone near the top of the admistration has it out for him. Whichever the case, promotion or demotion, even your CAG will be gone, soon. Everything you know will be changing. Man, for being telepathic, you sure as hell don't know what's going on in your 'house,' kid."

Krystal frowned in silence.

It was suddenly difficult being in such a small place with such an overly opinionated man.

Neither spoke further.

The elevator doors opened.

Krystal stepped in front of Wolf and walked onto the control room deck first. She saw Panther and Leon waiting.

Wolf moved over to the holo-chart on a glass divider at the center of the control center. He waved a paw. The gesture started a preloaded presentation, by bringing up Venom's image on the glass panel. "Okay, you three. I paid serious money for this information … we're the first to have it. So, listen up: There's a new leader taking the power vacuum on Venom. But it's not what you might think. It's happening _under the ocean_."

Panther blinked. "The lizards are building a base under the ocean? It's an acidic mess. Nothing can survive under the Venom waters."

Wolf shrugged. "Apparently, Andross created a race of frickin' _fish_ people to fight his wars, but never got around to drafting them into the war with Corneria."

Leon asked, "What do we know about these creatures so far, Wolf?"

O'Donnell said, "They're smarter and more dangerous than the lizards. They're calling themselves the Anglar Empire, and they're building a goddamn fleet of ships. They're going to be launching an assault on … you guessed it … Corneria."

Leon groaned.

Panther shook his head.

Krystal sighed through clenched teeth. "Why is it _always_ Corneria?"

"They're the rich planet," said Wolf. "So, we've got to play this carefully. This is Star Wolf's chance. If _we_ can save Corneria from these idiots, we can get exonerated, clear our name, and operate legally. We'll be the heroes this time."

Krystal asked, "What if Corneria's military takes them down?"

Wolf shook his head. "Apparently, these fishy-fucks are no joke. My source has intel into their operation. Even Star Wolf isn't in any kind of position to fight them yet. We need to lay low or we'll be steamrolled. We need to study our prey, find a weakness, and _then_ we'll strike. If Star Fox taught us anything, it's that we can't fight off all their forces. We can't push them back. All we can do is lay low, then hit at the heart of these freaks, and shut them down in one decisive strike."

Leon grimaced. "Speaking of Star Fox, we'll have to act before McCloud beats us to it. If he becomes a hero again, well … that doesn't help us."

Wolf nodded. "Yeah, that's why I spent money on this intel. We're the only ones who know to start preparing." He cut his gaze to Krystal. "You don't have a paper trail to bring to Corneria, so telling them would only expose you for moonlighting with felons."

Krystal lifted her paws. "Don't question my loyalty."

Wolf feigned a smile. "Good." He waved at the glass panel, changing the image to show something other than Venom. "Look, you three, it's going to take all four of us to pull off a win against a big-ass secret race with hundreds of ships."

Panther grimaced. "How impossible are these odds of winning, Wolf?"

"It's grim," Wolf admitted. "And it might even take teaming up with Star Fox, again, and then leading them off course. Whatever it takes, right? Star Wolf is going to be the goddamn heroes next time around. And we have to keep this information close. _No one_ can know."

"Agreed," said Krystal.

Panther and Leon both responded in agreeance, off-time from one another.

"Good," said Wolf. "Let's review what I've learned so far…"

An image of William Gray showed up on the glass panel. "My informant says that Bill is the rising star of the Cornerian military right now. Someone up at the top of the military, beneath Peppy Hare, wants to disgrace Gray. Not sure why, but it has something to do with the Anglar plan to manhandle Corneria. Word has it that Gray is gonna be busted down to Major."

Krystal brought her paws to her muzzle but didn't say anything. She swallowed and wondered how soon this would all take place.

X

X

_At that moment,  
On Corneria_…

**William Grey's muzzle dropped open in shock**. "You're going to _what_?"

Peppy Hare paced in the empty Combat Information Center. "Bill, this comes from _way_ above _me_. I don't even know what's going on, but the new Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Space Corps have come together on the matter of the Air Guard, and they have reason to demote you to Major."

"What the hell for?" Bill threw his paws up in the air. "I have done nothing but get results! The Pirating problem is nearly non-existent, now!"

"And, yet, Star Wolf continues to operate."

"They're in the Bolse Defense sector, practically in Venom airspace! Venom is currently at the furthest end from Corneria right now. It'll be another several months before their orbit brings them close enough to consider, but when that happens, Macbeth, Fortuna, Fichina, and Titania will be between us and them. They're not even interfering with Cornerian operations – they haven't in ages. Since before the Aparoid Assault. We have to prioritize on what is within reach, because we have a _budget_."

Peppy ran his paws up over his head, pushing his ears back. "Ironic, that's the _same_ defense I gave the new Army secretary, but I'm told he had something else, too."

Bill exhaled. "Like _what_?"

Peppy frowned. "They were looking for a new CAG to replace you when bumping you up, so they were vetting you while vetting a new CAG. And, when that happened, they saw that you were running an operation off the books. This is the first time I'm hearing about this … is it's true?"

"Yeah, Peppy. It's true. We don't have the budget to handle everything at once. I was letting select pilots moonlight as mercenaries so long as their work involved handling pirating or anything involving the remnants of Andrew Oikonny's old fleet."

Peppy tugged on his ears and dropped his paws at his sides. "Oh, Bill…"

"What? We're not paying them to handle these issues. I'm simply turning a blind eye to those that are. It's the only way we can afford to get a handle on it all. Like I said, I've been getting results. And, when I have to, I encourage these pilots to focus on certain sectors by carefully saying certain things in front of them. I nudge them in the right direction – trouble spots and soforth."

"Our pilots sign a nondisclosure agreement; they won't fight for anyone but Corneria. That's the agreement. Not while they represent us, not while we're paying for their training."

"They're not using our equipment on their side-jobs, Peppy. Like I said, we're under the constraints of a budget, and some of these pilots need the extra money, because we don't pay them enough."

"This is why you're going to be demoted to Major instead of promoted to a two-star General. And I _really_ tried to argue with the new Secretary on your behalf, Bill. I told him that we could simply start enforcing this new post-Pepper rule."

"Yeah, and?"

Peppy sighed. "This new Army Secretary … he's nothing like Michelle."

Bill sighed. "Yeah, I get that. Ted Zalinski or something, right?"

"Yes. Secretary Zalinski is the complete opposite from Michelle Baker. She wanted the military to have a citizen-friendly face that would make people feel like they could trust our military not to strike down others – 'defense first.' That was her slogan of sorts."

"Yeah, I remember her."

Peppy continued. "She was continuing in a long line of secretaries of the army that believed in defense. But this new guy, Zalinski, feels that the best defense is a good offense. He wants to divert budget money to weapons that would make our Army focus on threats at the edge of Lylat and beyond, like the next Aparoid threat, or whatever else is out there."

"What made Pepper go with this new guy, anyhow?"

Peppy shrugged. "I feel like John is being strong-armed to put Zalinski into place. Not sure why, but he won't talk to me about it. So … I might be wrong."

"God, Peppy, okay, back to my career. I'm kind of freaking out, here. What does all this stuff have to do with me getting demoted?"

"You turned a blind eye to letting our pilots put themselves in additional danger. Corneria is the one who is responsible for these kids going out there and opening fire on an enemy. If a pirate is killed, but then it turns out that pirate was just an unarmed scrapper, looking for metals to sell … guess who is responsible for that pilot's actions?"

"A pilot acting on their own accord is responsible for themselves alone, Peppy."

"Bill, it still hurts our military reputation if one of our pilots does something that winds up in the news. That leads to less budget. It leads to scathing media stories. Sure, it didn't happen, but the more you turn a blind eye to things, the sooner it will happen. The new administration feels that scrappers have a right to strip those old floating junk yards."

"No one should get their paws on military ordinance, FTL engines, or any other kinds of…"

"I'm not making the rules, Bill! My job is to make sure you're enforcing them!" Peppy sighed and turned to face the CIC holo-map of Lylat. He put his paws on the siding of the map emitter unit and leaned over it with a sigh. "I explained that the last administration was lax on the mercenary rule, but the new one says that it was _still a rule_ – no mercenary units unless they are paid for by Corneria, and no Cornerian pilot shall operate outside of their work duties."

"Well, just because I knew we had dozens of pilots doing it, it doesn't mean I sanctioned it or condoned it. I just turned a blind eye. Can't they keep me where I'm at, or knock me down to Lieutenant-Colonel again?"

Peppy shook his head. "Had I known about it, Bill, I would have lost _my_ commission as General. They're _really_ serious about this."

"God. Major. I haven't been a Major in years."

"Yeah. I know. What's worse is you're being transferred back to Katina."

Bill sighed. "I'm just two years from paying off my mortgage, and now I have to sell my goddamn house?"

Peppy frowned. "I … also need a list of anyone who has been moonlighting as a mercenary."

Bill shrugged. "I'm already getting demoted. Isn't that enough?"

"Do you know names or not?"

"A _blind eye_ means I'm not micromanaging these kids. I'm only micromanaging our fleet and fighters."

Peppy shook his head with a soft groan. "Okay, so you have _no idea_ who is running jobs outside of their commission as officers?"

"Peppy, even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you, because you'd _have to report it_. But … I really don't know. I only suspect that a handful of fighter jocks are doing it. A few of the grunts we use as boarding parties … it keeps their skills sharp. If you want to know so bad, run your own investigation."

Peppy grinned a bit. "That's what the Secretary said. You know what I told Zalinski? Heh, I told him an investigation wasn't in the budget."

Bill laughed softly. "Seriously?"

"Of course. Hey, I'm on your side, here. The only reason they want to demote you is because they were vetting you and the CAG that would take your place. So, they feel like, stumbling onto this is a potential PR nightmare. They're acting like they're embarrassed."

Bill sighed with a shake of his head. "Can we mitigate the press release about this?"

"I'll see what I can do," said Peppy. "Anyway, the new CAG will be telling the pilots that there will be no more moonlighting work. They have to wait until _after_ their military contract expires to do that sort of stuff. Furthermore, it will be heavily enforced."

"How the hell do they expect to micromanage a fleet of pilots on their off hours?"

Peppy shrugged. "They can't. They can only punish anyone they catch doing it. But you? They discovered that you were _willingly_ turning a blind eye, Bill. That's why they're making an example out of you."

Bill shook his head, and ran his paws up over his headfur, pulling against it. "God … dammit. I loved this job. The only way I would willingly leave it is to be promoted above it."

Peppy frowned again. "Bill, I have been in the reserves for my entire mercenary career with Star Fox. Under these new rules, I wouldn't even be here. But if I want to stay, I have to play by the rules of my superiors. The only reason it was okay for me, being in the reserves, is because I stopped flying for Star Fox ages ago. I just sat on the bridge of Great Fox with my feet up. To be honest, I'm not even sure _why_ I got a pass – maybe because losing the fleet General would attract too much negative press? Maybe because, as prime minister, John Pepper has the final say? I really don't know."

"You seriously can't fight this, Peppy?"

"I did. They brought up the fact I sat on Great Fox while I was in the reserves."

"I can't believe they threatened to find another General."

"Then who would watch your back?" Peppy frowned. "So, I told them I would toe the company line with every fiber of my being."

Bill grimaced. "But, I mean, c'mon … Major. Seriously? Major."

"How much longer is left on your current contract?"

Bill pulled his paws down, over his ears, over his face, and rubbed his tired eyes. "Uh, three years. Why?"

"Look, you were DP 1st class Commander of Huskey and Bulldog squadron back in your days on Katina, right?"

"Yeah."

"I could see to it that we could give you command again. Major is still above DP 1st class, and…"

"Unless there's another war going on, Katina is a dead-end job with no future, no promotions, nothing. Even if there was a war, I'd be planetary defense. I'm a strategist, Peppy. I _loved_ running my squadrons, but this isn't the Lylat Wars; we can't pretend that's going anywhere, you know?"

"Then what are you going to do for the next three years?"

"My job, then I'm going to retire."

Peppy gawked. "Seriously? Retire?"

"I was about to become the youngest two-star General in history. Now it won't happen for several decades. I'm turning thirty this upcoming year, Peppy. I still have my entire life ahead of me, and there's a lot of things I could do. But I'm not going to sit there and make less money and have the entire ladder still ahead of me, while I'm getting the same amount of responsibility…"

"Bill, with all due respect, managing two large squadrons is much less work than being the Commander, Air Group Wings commander."

"Can't you just make me the deputy CAG?"

Peppy shook his head, then nodded somewhat. "Not on Corneria. They want you to be the deputy CAG on Katina. But the job entails having your own squadrons, and you will report to the new CAG on Corneria. Katina doesn't have its own military, remember? We're their military. So, you report to the Cornerian Wings CAG."

"I _know_ we're they're military. I was about to be the youngest General in the fleet. I know a few things."

"I get that you're angry, but don't take it out on me. Anyway, as I was saying, technically, you will be a deputy CAG. You'll fly the head missions involving Katina pilots. But only in defense of that planet."

Bill sighed through his teeth. "This is a hot mess. I was the Super CAG for nearly two years. Knocking me down by several ranks is … it's really unfair."

"I know. Look, how is Krystal doing?"

Bill sighed again. "Fine."

"C'mon, Bill. Don't be upset with me. I'm trying to watch over you, but that means toeing the company line. And I look at Krystal as a stepfather, you know? How's she doing?"

Bill looked away. "She's an icy pilot. I won't be able to keep an eye on her, now. If left unchecked, she'll go from '_having the best kill score_' to becoming a pilot that loses touch with…" Bill trailed off.

"Go on. I'm listening."

"Maybe _you_ should talk to her, General Hare. She's dating a member of Star Wolf. Don't know who. Don't care, it's not my business. But she's there an awful lot. And, before you ask, _no_, that is _not_ the reason I left Star Wolf alone. I don't care for those idiots. Good pilots don't have my respect just because they're good pilots. They're still dicks. But she's dating one of them, and the new CAG won't have any right to tell her she's not allowed out there in her personal ship. They're outlaws, sure, but they're in neutral airspace."

"The new CAG will pass her up for promotion to Major, because they won't want her to have information that could damage operations, at least not if she's dating Star Wolf members."

Bill shook his head. "Look, I know Fox would be really upset if he found out she was dating Wolf O'Donnell, so keep it to yourself."

Peppy eyed Bill. "What makes you think she's dating Wolf?"

"Because she dates leaders. She's no idiot. She puts herself close to the top authority. It's why she dated Fox. Her and I went to dinner and a movie a few times, too. I know, I know what you're going to say, just spare me the speech. We never got undressed. I'm the goddamn CAG, and it was inappropriate. But, that's my point – she dates authority. She's probably attracted to power, subconsciously."

Peppy looked up at the ceiling. "It's … _possible_ she's dating Wolf, but not necessarily the case."

"She sure as hell isn't dating Leon, especially after butting heads with reptiles on Sauria. Okay, whatever, she's dating _a Star Wolf Pilot_, I just don't know who. Keep it to yourself. For her sake."

"The new CAG will see that she's heading out to Bolse Sector, and they won't promote her beyond where she's at, Bill. It's that simple. If you know where your pilots are going, then you also know who is moonlighting as a mercenary."

"General Hare, _sir_, I do not know who is, or who is not … moonlighting as a mercenary, sir."

Peppy smiled. He gave Bill a firm pat on the shoulder. "Good man. I like your loyalty. And, because you asked, I will keep Krystal's dating life private. I won't tell Fox. You're right, it would hurt him."

"I know it would. Did you know we met one another _before_ the academy?"

Peppy blinked. "What? I thought you guys met at the academy."

Bill shook his head. "I did, too. Then I got my paws on an elementary school yearbook. We knew each other up until Vixy Reynard-McCloud died. Then, Fox and James moved. The year after that, my parents moved to Katina. I wound up getting bunked with him at the academy, and we didn't recognize each other. We just … became friends. Years later, we realized we knew each other when we were little. He's a good guy, and I've thought about flying with him one day, but … he's got to ask me, again."

"I doubt he'll ask you. He doesn't want to bring anyone into his problems. Falco is talking about leaving Star Fox again. Slippy was offered a job for Cornerian tech R&D. Star Fox is virtually over."

Bill frowned. "End of an era."

"You're telling me," Peppy murmured softly. "Have you ever asked Krystal about the person she's dating, or … that she's even actually dating someone from Star Wolf?"

Bill shook his head. "When she comes back from time on Sargasso, she smells like roses and a fresh shower. So, her Star Wolf boyfriend gives her flowers."

Peppy turned away from Bill. Roses. That confirmed the rabbit's suspicions. He sighed softly and nodded. He'd heard that Wolf was dating a vixen, but he was told that she was red-furred and possibly a distant cousin of Fox McCloud. Whatever drama Star Wolf was embroiled in, they had, in fact, stayed away from Corneria and all Cornerian operations. He turned back to Bill and said, "Star Wolf hasn't given _any _pilots trouble?"

"No, General. Not in years. I had _one report_ that they took down pirates that were giving our pilots trouble … about two years ago. They left the area before more Cornerian reinforcements could arrive, but they kept our pilot alive, and then left quickly. Anyway, if you want to ask Krystal, feel free. Can I appeal this decision about my demotion?"

"No. It's not going to be a public court martial. They don't want to do that to your career. As far as anyone else knows, you're going to be transferred to Katina and be the lead ranking officer of the Cornerian forces over Katina."

"This is ridiculous."

"I know."

"I guess I should start packing."

Peppy nodded. "I'm sorry, Bill. I fought tooth and nail."

"Well, thanks."

"They were going to knock you down to Captain. But I told them your experience would really keep Katina safe, considering it's a front line between Corneria and Venom. After much deliberating, it was agreed that you would become the deputy CAG, operating all the Katina squadrons. Bulldog and Husky will be restored to their original sizes, with almost fifty pilots between the two groups."

Bill shrugged. "Am I dismissed, sir?"

Peppy sighed with a nod. "Stay safe. Thanks for keeping an eye on Krystal as long as you were able."

"Yeah. I mean … yes, sir." Bill turned for the door. "I have a lot of packing to do, sir. So, if there's nothing else?"

Peppy nodded with a frown. "You're dismissed, Major Grey."

Bill walked out of the Combat Information Center but stopped in the doorway. "I hear the CIC is lonely without having people you trust to run it for you, General. Choose wisely. I hope this new CAG has your back and doesn't just … want your job. The last CAG, before me, was a goddamn politician, and wanted nothing more than to run things. He became an Aparoid and personally attacked John Pepper. Right where you're standing, actually."

Peppy blinked at Bill. He looked down at the deck plates where he was standing.

Bill added, "The CAG infected Pepper. Gave him the goddamn virus right there, right where you're standing. The old man was lucky that the doctors were able to operate on him before it was too late. They slowed the infection rate until Star Fox and Star Wolf were able to destroy those bastards. Shame that Pepper had to retire from hands-on military matters. He would have had the political clout to stand up to the new Secretary. Damn shame he won't fix this as the Prime Minister."

"Bill…"

"I didn't vote for him. So, I don't have any right to ask for any special favors."

"Bill, no one voted on him, because no one ran against him."

"I rest my case. Look, I'm going to go. Let me know if John comes to his senses, or if you come to yours." Bill stepped the rest of the way through the door arch, and the door behind him with a swish and a thump.

Silence.

Peppy sighed. "Yeah," he whispered. "You're probably right. Good Goddess Lylat, I swear, being in charge is complicated."

X

X

_Meanwhile,  
Venom_…

**The Emperor of the Anglar Empire **snickered softly. "Our new 'plant,' as the Cornerians call it, has successfully become the Secretary of the Army on Corneria. Secretary Zalinski has made some personnel changes that will affect the defense of Corneria. Zazan, you will be meeting with him and the other Secretaries, as part of a handoff of Venom's military to Cornerian control. You'll kill all five secretaries by destroying the meeting site and escaping. After that, you'll have a much easier time taking over Corneria. By now, all the changes Zalinski has made are already in effect."

Zazan's image wavered on the screen, briefly, before coming sharp and clear again. "When does the meeting take place?"

"Tomorrow. Everything is in place. You arrive and shake hands. Then, you step onto a platform that will beam you up to your ship, which will be cloaked in orbit above Corneria."

"I thought Zalinski is working _for_ us?"

"No, he is a patriot. Just a misguided one. I simply funded his bid for Secretary with the new Prime Minister. I funded him because of his political views. He is still loyal to Corneria, but his first order of business was to shake up the military leadership. Corneria is the only world where the secretaries have to be elected into their cabinet seats."

"I see," said Zazan.

The emperor continued. "After Zalinski was elected into place, he got to work quickly, and as expected, he cracked down on the Army's use of mercenary teams, and he cracked down on members who allowed the pilots to act as mercenaries. That caused a large shakeup of Corneria's military leadership. I was hoping the current general was going to be implicated, but he managed to dodge the investigation. Clever rabbit."

"Will he be at the meeting?"

"I do not know his itinerary; Zalinski has no way of seeing the General's schedule, even though the General answers to Zalinski. But Zalinski managed to have quite an impression on the other secretaries, by explaining that his changes are the will of the people who voted him into his cabinet position."

Zazan nodded, listening.

"The rest of the leadership in the Army, and in two other branches, were either demoted or forced to retire. So, when you kill the five branch secretaries, it will throw Corneria's military into chaos. Their defense budget was just moved to offensive programs, but it hasn't yet been spent or, as they call it, 'earmarked,' so Corneria will not be prepared for an immediate attack. The very next morning, when I contact you, Zazan, _you_ will begin the attack of Corneria. Our forces will overpower them quickly."

"An excellent strategy, Emperor."

"I know. I will contact you again, Zazan. For now, prepare for your meeting, and have an explosive constructed. Beam it in on the platform, beam yourself up to your ship, and detonate it."

"I will not fail you, Emperor."

"Very good, Zazan. I will contact you again soon, to let you know when it's time to begin the invasion." The Emperor ended the video call from his end, and a devious smile spread across his face.

Silence.

The Emperor turned to his remaining Venom Generals in his employ. "With the frog having left Star Fox due to my contacts offering him a job in Research and Development, the Star Fox team is barely operational. The bird removed himself out of boredom. The girl joined Star Fox's rival mercenary group. Now is the time for action. This will be an easy and decisive victory over Corneria. The rest of Lylat will follow shortly thereafter."

_**THE END**_

_Story to be continued in STAR FOX COMMAND for the DS, released in 2006. It's also now available on the Wii-U Virtual Store. The story picks up in REFLECTIONS OF REGRET, which is about two-thirds of the way finished. _

_Thanks for reading, y'all! _

_Kit Karamak February 20, 2020. _


End file.
